















































LETTERS 


WRITTEN DURING A 



ARTHUR E. CLARKE. 



MANCHESTER, N.H.: 

PRINTED FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION . 
1879 . 












» 























a 

♦> 


4 


4 

* o 

Of) ») 






4 















































4 


PREFATORY. 



iE following letters were written by my son, Arthur 
Eastman Clarke, who was one of the party that visited 
Europe under the guidance of Dr. Tourjee, in 1878. 
They were originally written for and published in the “ Mir- 
ror,” on which he had been a reporter for two years previous, 
and are reproduced in compliance with the request of many 
personal friends, who desire them in a form more convenient 
for reference and preservation. 

JOHN B. CLARKE. 


Manchester, N. H., June, 1879. 



L E T T E R S. 


I. 

Edinburgh, Scotland, July 11, 1878. 
educational party organized by Dr. Eben Tourjee, 
Boston, Mass., which sailed from New York, Sat- 
lay, June 29, in the steamship “Devonia,” of the. 
clior line, arrived in this beautiful and picturesque 
city yesterday, late in the afternoon, having landed at Greenock 
early that morning and proceeded by special trains, carriages, 
and steamers, from there through the lake region to here. 

Before speaking about what we have done since coming 
ashore, I will say a few words in regard to our voyage. We 
were fortunate in having delightful weather most of the way 
across, and the days passed away very quickly. After being- 
four days out it came on rough, and the majority of the party 
succumbed to that much-to-be-dreaded ill, sea-sickness. A very 
few escaped it. As soon as the waves subsided, however, all 
was serene again, with a few exceptions, and the last forty-eight 
hours on the ocean saw everybody in the best of spirits, and 
those who had paid the most tribute to Neptune were the live- 
liest of us all. The party numbers two hundred and fifty, and 
the members come from many walks in life and represent nearly 
every State in the Union. It is the largest excursion party that 
ever went out from America. Our list includes men well known 
in the musical and literary world. 

Nearly every evening of the trip over, an entertainment was 
held in the saloon of the vessel, which, for impromptu affairs, 



6 


LETTERS. 


M 


* 


were the best of the kind I ever attended. No little artistic 
ability was manifested in some of the efforts essayed. The 
entertainments consisted chiefly of readings, vocal and instru- 
mental music, burlesque acting, lectures, etc. Several original 
poems, written on board the ship, were delivered. One of these, 
by the Rev. C. H. Beale, of Centre Moriches, L. I., was particu- 
larly pleasing, being extremely bright. 

Among the many ways in which the hours of the day were 
spent by the gentlemen was in playing “ shuffle board,” a game 
very extensively practised by sailors, and requiring considerable 
dexterity to succeed well at it. A steady eye and a strong wrist 
are necessary to play it well. I will not attempt a detailed de- 
scription of it. 

Of course a great deal of writing was done by members of 
the party. The majority of persons who go to Europe com- 
mence to keep a journal as soon as they step on the deck of the 
steamer that is to carry them over. I believe it is estimated 
that three-fourths of all who attempt to make a record of their 
doings and seeings while traveling in this country, signally fail 
to do so. Some drop off very quickly, others linger for a few 
weeks, but the few only succeed in the undertaking which is so 
fruitful of satisfaction and enjoyment when completed, but the 
production of which is attended with much hard labor. On 
board the “ Devonia” there was the usual quota of journal-keep- 
ers. Quite a number have fallen by the wayside already, others 
show unmistakable signs of weariness in their well-doing, and 
the rest sharpen their pencils, when asked if they intend to keep 
up their writing during the entire trip, with an air which seems 
to say, “ Keep it up? Do I look like a person who does anything 
by halves ? You evidently are weak-minded. I always carry 
out whatever I undertake.” 

On the way over we fell in with a number of vessels bound 
for America, and the sight of them was like meeting an old ac- 
quaintance, bringing joy to every heart on board. 

During the trip several incidents occurred worthy of special 
notice. One was the death and burial of a steerage passenger, 
and the other was the falling in with an English war fleet. 


<*• 


◄ 


LETTERS. 


Both events created considerable excitement, especially the lat- 
ter, as the fleet was met about midnight, and the captain, crew, 
and passengers were quite certain, judging from the movements 
of the vessels, that it was a Russian fleet. Arms were got in 
readiness, and every preparation for an encounter made. Our 
ship sailed a long distance out of her course in order to avoid 
the fleet, and when the captain saw he was not pursued, he sig- 
naled the admiral-ship, and, after giving the name of his 
steamer, received the information that the fleet was English, and 
bound in the direction of America. The fleet numbered seven 
iron-clads. A great feeling of relief filled the breasts of all on 
the “Devonia” when the nationality of the vessels was learned. 
The burial of the passenger who died was exceedingly solemn 
and impressive. It occurred Sunday noon, in the presence of 
nearly all the passengers and crew. The remains of the de- 
ceased were inclosed in a canvas bag, around which was placed 
the stars and stripes. The surgeon of the ship read the burial 
service, and when he came to “ consign your body to the deep,” 
the remains were cast into the sea, striking the water with a 
loud splash and instantly disappearing from sight. As the 
body slid off the deck of the ship the flag was removed. The 
board upon which the remains were placed after the death of 
the deceased, was thrown into the ocean, sailors being very 
superstitious about retaining anything which a dead body has 
touched. 

The average distance made daily by the “Devonia” was about 
two hundred and eighty miles, but July 9 we went three hundred 
and seventeen miles. Land was first sighted Tuesday morning 
about nine o’clock, and a glimpse of terra jirma once again was 
hailed with demonstrative manifestations of delight. It was the 
north coast of Ireland which we saw , and the captain very ac- 
commodatingly ran the steamer quite near the shore in order 
that we might obtain a good view of the country, which was 
beautiful in the extreme. Everything in the shape of vegeta- 
tion was very luxuriant, and the dark, rich green of the verdure 
showed clearly why the “Emerald Isle” was thus christened. 
The fields were inclosed with high hedges of blackthorn, which 


► 








8 LETTERS. 


added materially to their attractiveness, as did also the absence 
of stones and rocks on their surface. 

We obtained a good view of that peculiar formation known 
as the “ Giant’s Causeway,” pictures of which we remember to 
have first seen in an old geography. We will not enter into a 
description of it, as its structure is familiar to nearly everybody 
who ever attended school. 

A portion of the coast which we passed was extremely rough 
and precipitous. Enormous caves penetrated far into the sides 
of the cliffs, and about the mouth hundreds of birds were flying. 
Many of the birds followed in the wake of our vessel for miles, 
picking up fragments of food which were thrown overboard. 

Leaving the coast of Ireland we steered for Scotland, and ere 
long the land about which Scott has so graphically written, 
broke upon our vision. No wonder the inhabitants of this 
country deeply love their native land. It is a charming coun- 
try, picturesque and inviting, with the most beautiful scenery 
and surroundings imaginable. And the atmosphere, — how in- 
vigorating and life-giving it is ! It causes the blood to flow 
through the veins like the tingling air of a late fall morning in 
New Hampshire. The dwellings scattered along the shore were 
so romantically situated, and so novel and pleasing in architec- 
ture, that we gazed upon them in silent admiration. Now and 
then we would pass a small village, the buildings of which 
looked like toy houses. Occasionally a large and stately castle, 
standing upon a sightly eminence and surrounded by grounds 
most artistically laid out and beautified, would come into view. 
Among the most noticeable residences which were pointed out 
to us were those of the Duke of Hamilton, the Marquis of 
Lome, and one owned by several gentlemen heavily interested in 
the Cunard line of steamers. 

We sailed up the Frith of the Clyde late in the afternoon of 
Tuesday, and anchored off Greenock about ten o’clock in the 
evening. The following morning we went ashore early. It 
seemed very strange to be once more standing upon firm and 
unyielding earth, and at first the land appeared to be heaving 
and swelling like the sea. This illusion, however, quickly 





◄ 






LETTERS. 


'9 


passed away. It was at Greenock that I obtained my first im- 
pression of English railroad trains. I had frequently read 
of them, but was not prepared to behold such comical-looking, 
dirty “coops.” The cars are much smaller and lighter than those 
used in America, and are divided into compartments, each one 
of which accommodates six persons, who sit facing each other, 
three on a side. I was agreeably disappointed, when the train 
commenced to move, at the freedom from jar which was notice- 
able. I must say I never rode so comfortably for an hour in a 
train at home as I did during this my first trip in an English car. 
Subsequently I have learned that all the cars here are not such 
ill-looking, dirty things, as was the one I first sat in. Some of 
them are very elegantly painted and luxuriously upholstered. 
There are three classes of conveyances on every road; and the 
third class being for the poor people, a very small price is 
charged for riding in them. 

Glasgow is about an hour’s travel from Greenock. We did 
not stop in this city, so famous for its shipping, but, changing 
cars, pushed on to Edinburgh by the way of the lakes. The ride 
through the Trossachs by carriage was delightful. We rode in 
high vehicles that resemble jaunting-cars in style, but are con- 
siderably larger; and the spirited horses attached to them 
wl dried us along through a region charmingly picturesque and 
replete with romance. 

Arriving at Loch Katrine we embarked on the .steamer “ Rob 
Roy,” and for an hour enjoyed a sail on its waters. Leaving 
the steamer at Stronachlachar, we went by coach to Inversnaid, 
where we dined at one of those fine mountain hotels where 
everything that is served is so delicious. Subsequently we en- 
joyed a twenty-mile sail on that famous and lovely Scottish 
sheet of water of whose beauty poets have so often sung, — Loch 
Lomond. Its praise has not been sounded too highly. It merits 
all that has ever been said of it, and volumes would be required 
to contain this. Situated in a valley, surrounded on all sides 
by high hills and mountains, dotted with islands, its shores 
studded with beautiful residences, it is indeed an ideal spot, 
delightfully romantic. 


► 




◄ 


* 

10 LETTERS. 


It is needless to say that the sail on Loch Lomond was fruitful 
of exquisite pleasure. We left the steamer at Balloch Pier, and 
seated ourselves in the train for Edinburgh? which we reached 
about half -past six o’clock. I will not speak of the ride by rail 
from Greenock to Edinburgh, of the surprises that constantly 
unfolded themselves, but will only say that the objects passed, 
the towns gone through, abounded in interest, and we gazed 
upon the rapidly changing scenes with unalloyed pleasure. Two 
nights and a day were given us in the famous city of Edin- 
burgh, the capital of Scotland, which is situated on a cluster of 
eminences a mile and a half south of the Frith of Forth — an 
arm of the sea which is here about six miles in breadth. The 
country around Edinburgh is a happy blending of hill and plain. 

The fields are very fertile, well cultivated, and ornamented with 
gardens and villas. Twelve hundred years ago, Edwin, a king 
of Northumbria, built a fort on the rocky height on which the 
castle of Edinburgh now stands, and hence, as is alleged, arose 
the name of Edwinsburgh, or Edinburgh. The population of 
Edinburgh, with its suburbs, is estimated at two hundred and 
sixty thousand. It abounds in places of interest, the principal 
of which our party visited, in the charge of old and experienced 
guides. A bird’s-eye view of Edinburgh, to any one who has 
even a smattering of geology, suggests at once the primeval 
means by which it has become so picturesque. The first place 
a stranger usually goes to is the castle, which is replete with 
interest and romance. The castle is an immense stone structure, 
situated upon a rock three hundred and eiglity-three feet above 
the level of the sea, and its battlements towering above the city 
may be seen in some directions for fifty miles. The rock is 
very precipitous on all sides but the east, and before the inven- 
tion of artillery it must have been impregnable. In the south- 
east corner of the castle, is an old palace built by Queen Mary 
in 1565. On approaching the castle from the only accessible 
side, the Half-Moon Battery first strikes the eye. Salutes are 
fired from this battery on royal holidays and occasions of na- 
tional rejoicing; and daily, at one o’clock, the time gun is fired 
from the same platform, by a wire stretching over the city from 

► « — ► ◄ 



* 


LETTERS. 


11 


the Royal Observatory on Calton Hill. On the top of this 
observatory is a large ball which falls at one o’clock, Greenwich 
time, thus completing the connection of an electric current and 
discharging the gun. 

The working of the time ball on the Equitable building in 
Boston, is, I believe, taken from the one here. I cannot enter 
into a detailed account of what we saw at the castle and else- 
where, as too much space would be required for that end. 

The regalia and crown jewels in use by the Scottish sove- 
reigns previous to the Union were seen by us. They are very rich 
and elegant, and of almost priceless value, — diamonds, pearls, 
and rubies entering largely into their composition. The jewels 
were securely inclosed in a kind of cage of upright iron bars, 
and guarded by an officer. These jewels were lost once, for 
about a dozen years, and it was through the instrumentality of 
Sir Walter Scott that they were recovered. He instituted a 
search in a certain part of the castle, and found them buried 
many feet in the solid wall. 

We went into the room in which Queen Mary gave birth to 
James VI., on the 19th of June, 1566; also Queen Margaret’s 
chapel. The latter is a small building on the highest platform 
of the castle rock. The pious queen of Malcolm Canmore prob- 
ably built the chapel, and certainly worshiped in it during her 
residence in the castle till her death in 1093. Beside the chapel 
is “ Mons Meg,” an enormous gun, supposed to have been built 
under the direction of James IV., who in 1498 employed it at 
the siege of Nordham Castle. It was rent in 1680 when firing 
a salute, since which time it has been useless. The balls which 
were fired in it were large stones of about two and one-fourth 
feet diameter. Some of these are now piled alongside of 
Meg. The castle is now occupied by soldiers, a large portion 
of it being used for barracks. Whenever the Queen visits 
Edinburgh she makes her headquarters here, but that is not 
often. A Scotchman informed me that during the last ten years 
she had only been there three times. 

In the arsenal there are thirty thousand stand of arms. Edin- 
burgh Castle is one of the forts enjoined by the treaty of Union 


► 


* 


« 



4 






12 


LETTER 8. 




to be kept up in Scotland. The view obtainable from the castle 
is magnificent. 

The palace of Holyrood is another object of great interest. 
It is situated about a mile from the castle, and its site is not at 
all elevated. 

The palace was built in connection with an abbey founded by 
David I., and this old structure was considerably renovated by 
James V. The whole, however, was destroyed by Cromwell, 
excepting the northwest angle of the building, Queen Mary’s 
private apartments. All the rest is comparatively modern, hav- 
ing been built in the reign of Charles II., but in a way to har- 
monize with the older part then remaining. The architect on 
this occasion was Sir William Bruce. 

Ascending a stone staircase from the piazza of the court, 
under the guidance of an attendant, we reach Queen Mary’s 
rooms, so full of historical associations, and are naturally sur- 
prised to observe how simply the beautiful queen was accommo- 
dated. In the first place there is a vestibule where the blood of 
Rizzio is still shown upon the floor. Next is her presence cham- 
ber, — a room of large dimensions, with a carved oak roof em- 
bellished with ciphers of different kings, queens, and princes in 
faded paint and gold. The walls are decked with a great 
variety of pictures and prints, and some old chairs and other 
furniture are preserved. Adjacent to this apartment, occupying 
the front of the tower, is the bed-chamber of Mary, in which 
her bed is seen in a very decayed condition. The only other 
two apartments are a small dressing-room and a cabinet, in 
which last she was sitting, at supper, when Rizzio was assailed 
by his assassins cbnducted by Lord Darnley, Mary’s husband. 
These two rooms contain a few objects of interest said to have 
belonged to the queen’s toilet; also some tapestry wrought by 
her own hand. 

Cold and deserted,' and with all around having the appearance 
of age and decay, Mary’s apartments cannot fail to inspire 
melancholy reflections ; but to the reader of history the view of 
the scene here disclosed will at the same time afford a new 
pleasure — the satisfaction of seeing the actual spot where 



LETTERS. 


► 4r 


events took place which have for centuries been the theme of 
narratives and discussions. Having seen Mary’s apartments, 
little else in the palace is worth looking at. In a long apart- 
ment in which takes place the election of representative Scottish 
peers for the House of Lords, are exhibited “ portraits of a 
hundred and six Scottish monarchs.” Being merely daubs with 
a fictitious likeness, they are treated with deserved contempt. 
The other apartments are fitted up principally in a modern 
style, for the accommodation of Queen Victoria and her royal 
consort. 

I intended to have spoken of quite a number of other historic 
places visited in Edinburgh, but will leave them until another 
time, as I have already spun this letter to very great length. 


14 


LETTERS. 



II. 


London, England, July 17, 1878. 
last letter was brought to a close before I had fin- 
ished with the attractions of Edinburgh, and now I 
will briefly allude to other objects of interest which 
came under our observation. 

St. Giles’ Church is a large and conspicuous edifice of un- 
known antiquity. Until the Reformation it was a collegiate 
church, dedicated to St. Giles, the patron saint of the town. It 
was provided with thirty-six altars, and had nearly one hundred 
clergymen and other attendants. At the Reformation all this 
was swept away, and for a while its ministrations were con- 
ducted by John Knox, the eminent Scotch reformer. The 
church is a massive structure, and now three separate services 
are held in it at the same time on Sundays. In the tower is a 
chime of bells which are played daily at one o’clock. 

Near St. Giles’ is John Knox’s house. It is shown for a small 
fee, and is well worth seeing. The house is in a good state 
of preservation. Over the door is the inscription, “ Lufe God 
abuf all, and ye nychtbour as yiself .” The window from which 
Knox addressed the multitude was looked out of by us with 
peculiar interest. The great reformer died here in the sixty- 
seventh year of his age, November 24, 1572. I forgot to say that 
it was in St. Giles’ Church, on the memorable day in 1637 when 
the obnoxious liturgy of Laud was to be introduced into Scot- 
land by authority, that Jennie Geddes threw her stool at the 
head of the dean. The famous stool is preserved in the Anti- 
quarian Museum. It was well, for' the dean that the stool 
missed its mark, as it is very heavy. 

In an old churchyard which we visited, lie the remains of 
Robert Ferguson, Adam Smith, and Dugald Stewart. It is said 




* -* 

LETTERS. 15 


that when Burns visited this churchyard in 1786 he was moved 
to tears. 

The national monument, situated on the summit of Calton 
Hill, a high elevation from which a commanding view can be 
obtained, is a memorial of the gallant officers and men who fell 
at Waterloo. It was projected in 1816, and the idea was to 
reproduce an exact model of the Parthenon at Athens. The 
project was received with such enthusiasm that £6,000, about 
-$30,000, was subscribed at the first public meeting held for its 
promotion. Various circumstances occurred to chill the patri- 
otic ardor, and the monument has never been finished, and 
probably no addition will ever be made to it. The foundation 
stone was laid in 1822, and the entire amount subscribed was 
spent in the erection of three colossal steps and twelve columns. 
Various proposals have been made for the completion of the de- 
sign, but they have not come to any practical issue. Many per- 
sons are of the opinion- that, as a matter of taste, the monument 
is more picturesque as it stands. There are two other monu- 
ments on Calton Hill : one erected to Dugald Stewart, professor 
of mathematics and moral philosophy in the Edinburgh Univer- 
sity, and the other to the memory of John Playfair, professor of 
mathematics at the same institution. 

The Scott monument on Prince street is one of the grandest 
ornaments in the city. It was erected in 1844, at an expense 
of £16,154, from designs furnished by George Kemp, a young, 
self-taught architect of great promise, who did not live to see 
the work completed. 

The monument is an open Gothic cross or tower, two hundred 
feet high, covering at its base a marble statue of Sir Walter 
and his favorite dog. Many of the niches in the monument are 
occupied by statues of the most familiar characters in Scott’s 
novels and poems, and a Scott museum is in process of forma- 
tion in an apartment immediately above the great central arch. 
The monument fronts the house in which David Hume, the 
historian, died. The monument is viewed by all strangers as a 
model of art. There are many other objects of attraction in 
this city, but I will not speak of any more. 



T < 


16 LETTERS. 


The city is very beautifully laid out, and is a model of clean- 
liness. Its streets are broad, and a number of lovely public 
gardens add to its attractiveness very considerably. One is 
immediately struck, upon his arrival in Edinburgh, with the 
politeness of the inhabitants. They will impart any amount of 
information in the most courteous manner. In fact, that trait 
has been noticeable in all the people with whom I have come in 
contact. There is no night in this city at this season of the 
year, the sun. rising at three o’clock and setting about nine. 
The intervening hours are twilight. Fine print can be read in 
the street at half-past ten o’clock. 

Six months from now, the state of affairs will be exactly the 
reverse, and darkness will prevail. The night of my arrival I 
visited a floral and fruit exhibition in a large coliseum, which 
surpassed anything of the kind I ever beheld. Roses of innu- 
merable varieties, and measuring two feet in circumference, 
were to be seen, also strawberries as large as a good-sized russet 
apple, and flowers and plants of rare fragrance and luxuriance. 
Among other things on exhibition were a lot of cucumbers, of 
about the diameter of those usually seen in Manchester, but of 
a prodigious length, some of them measuring four feet. Nearly 
everything shown was much larger than what is grown in New 
England. Several thousand people were inside the vast build- 
ing when I was there, and the scene, enlivened by music from 
two bands, was gay in the extreme. 

I was surprised to ascertain what an enormous number of 
Scott’s books are published in this city every year. Editions in 
every conceivable style are issued. Year after year the never- 
tiring press throws off the same sheets, and yet the public are 
unsatisfied, and call for more. 

The party left Edinburgh Friday morning for London, stop- 
ping on the way at Melrose Abbey and Abbotsford. Melrose is 
thirty-five miles from Edinburgh, and upon our arrival there we 
seated ourselves in large carriages and were driven to the house 
of Sir Walter Scott, about three miles from the station. It is 
a curious structure, half country-seat, half castle. Its location 
and surroundings are noticeably beautiful and romantic. The 


LETTERS. 


17 


house is a perfect museum of curiosities and relics identified 
with Scottish history. It is said that Scott was led to select 
this site for his residence because it made him owner of the 
whole ground of the famous border battle of Melrose. The 
building of the house was begun in 1811, and was gradually 
extended year after year, till it attained dimensions considera- 
bly beyond what had been first contemplated. On the man- 
sion and estate at least £50,000 were expended. The property 
is now owned by Mr. Hope Scott, a relative of the novelist. 
The walls of the house, as well as those of the garden, are set 
with curious old sculptured stones gathered from ancient build- 
ings and ruins in all parts of Scotland. The grounds are beau- 
tifully laid out in terraces and winding paths, and rustic seats 
and lounges are placed wherever the view is specially interest- 
ing or striking. The library is the largest and most magnifi- 
cent of all the rooms in the house, being sixty feet long by fifty 
broad. The top is elaborately carved after old Gothic models, 
and the walls are covered with bookcases containing nearly 
twenty thousand volumes. 

The small room Sir Walter used as his study, and which is 
most identified with his renown as the Great Magician of the 
North, is entered from the library. It is a small apartment, 
lighted by a single window. Scott’s writing-table, the black 
leather arm-chair he used, and one other chair are all the mov*- 
able furniture it contains. In a glass case the clothes worn by 
Sir Walter immediately before his death are carefully preserved. 
These consist of a blue coat with large brass buttons, plaid 
trousers, a broad-brimmed, light, tall hat, and a pair of stout 
shoes; his walking-stick is laid beside them. 

The rooms of the house are overflowing with curiosities, 
among which we saw the musket of that redoubtable outlaw, 
Rob Roy, a pair of pistols found in Napoleon’s carriage at the 
battle of Waterloo, a silver urn presented by Lord Byron, a 
snuff-box studded with large diamonds, formerly owned by 
George IV., and a piece of Robert Bruce’s coffin. There were, 
among the many things upon the walls, several complete suits 
of tilting armor, stout old battle-axes, English steel maces, and 




18 


LETTERS. 


other weapons, many with histories and from bloody fields 
whose horrors are a prominent feature on the pages of history. 
Among the more striking pictures upon the walls of the differ- 
ent rooms was the portrait of the head of Mary Queen of Scots, 
upon a charger, said to have been taken a few hours after her 
execution. Then there were the stern, heavily-molded features 
of Cromwell, Charles XII., and Charles II., and a collection of 
original etchings by Turner and other artists, the designs for 
the “ Provincial Antiquities of Scotland.” 

In the grounds about the house are the most beautiful and 
.luxuriant ivies growing that I ever saw. 

Bidding adieu to Abbotsford, we visited Melrose Abbey, 
situated only a few minutes’ walk from Melrose station. Mel- 
rose Abbey, taking it altogether, and comparing it with any 
other ancient building which remains in Scotland, is admittedly 
the finest example of Gothic architecture and sculpture in the 
country. It was here that the architect of the Edinburgh Scott 
monument, andjnany other architects of reputation, drank in 
the inspiration which has done so much to revive in modern 
times a taste for this style of architecture. 

Melrose Abbey was founded by David I. The monks first 
settled here were a community of the Cistercian order. They 
were given to agricultural and pastoral pursuits, and their 
primitive mode of life was simple and frugal. In course of 
time their manners degenerated, so that, as the old ballad 
says : — 

“ The monks of Melrose made fat kail 
On Fridays, when they fasted, 

And wanted neither beef nor ale 
As long’s their neighbors’ lasted.” 

The monastery was founded in 1136, and was ten years in 
building. In 1322 it was destroyed by the English, and rebuilt 
with two thousand pounds sterling, given by Robert Bruce, a 
sum equal to about fifty thousand pounds at the present time. 

In 1385, 1544, twice in 1546, and once in 1569 the abbey was 
partially laid in ruins. The abbey is now the property of the 
Duke of Buccleuch. Truly this is a glorious old structure, and 



LETTERS. 19 

. ■ ' 

one cannot fail to admire it. The blue arch of the heavens is 
now its only roof, and from its shattered walls, overrun with 
ivy, noisy rooks fly hither and thither, keeping up a continual 
chatter. 

But the majestic sweep of the great Gothic arches, the superb 
columns, and the innumerable elegant carvings on every side, 
the graves of nionarchs, knights, and wizards, marked with 
their quaint, antique inscriptions, — all form a scene of most 
charming and beautiful effects. These ruins have furnished 
material for the erecting of a town prison, and also for other 
buildings. 

The grandest object, whether seen from without or within, is 
the great east window, thirty-seven feet high and sixteen broad. 
The beauty of its tracery is singularly delicate and striking. 
Here, buried in the abbey, are many kings and illustrious per- 
sonages. Here is the spot where Robert Bruce’s heart was 
buried; here is the grave of the Earl of Douglas. It is said 
that Alexander II., king of Scotland, lies buried at the high 
altar. A flat, mossy stone, broken across the middle, is reputed 
to be the grave of the famous wizard, or natural philosopher, 
Michael Scott, whose magic books were interred with him. In 
“ The Lay of the Last Minstrel ” his funeral is spoken of in 
weird terms. What the abbey must have been when it was 
fresh from the workmen’s hands, we can hardly imagine, but that 
it was wondrously beautiful is evident. Days could be most 
profitably spent in the abbey, and the few hours we were there 
were too short to fully appreciate all the beauties to be seen. 

After leaving Melrose we went on, with a few stops, to Lon- 
don, which we reached late in the evening. The large size of 
the party necessitated its being divided into two sections, one 
section quartering at the Grand Midland Hotel, and the other at 
the Inns of Court. Both are very large houses, the former 
being one of the grandest in London. 

Our stay in this city was limited to five days. What w T e saw 
there I will refer to in my next letter. 


* ' * - ■ 


y 




20 


LETTERS . 



III. 

Heidelberg, Germ*any, July 25, 1878. 

T is of London that I am to speak chiefly in this letter, 
and the magnitude of the subject almost staggers me. 
Necessarily the descriptions of what I saw here must 
be brief, but volumes could be easily written of the 
vast number of interesting objects which this great metropolis 
and its environs contain, and which every American who goes 
to London should visit. Our party remained here about five 
days, and did the city pretty thoroughly. Traveling as we do, 
— all our wants and requirements in the shape of carriages, 
rooms, meals, etc., being anticipated, — we do not experience 
any of the annoyances incident to journeying otherwise. Con- 
sequently, on reaching London at ten o’clock in the evening, we 
did not have to stretch out a finger to help ourselves, but got 
into the long line of carriages that were waiting for us, and were 
quickly driven to our hotel. We stopped at the Midland Grand 
and Inns of Court hotels, two of the best in the city. As the 
list of the names of our party had been sent on in advance, our 
rooms were ready for us as soon as we reached the hotel, and, 
after indulging in a bountiful supper, we repaired to them to 
secure rest and strength to fortify us for five days of London 
sight-seeing. To illustrate the manner in which our party is 
cared for as regards luggage (the English never say baggage), 
I will say that our trunks, which we left on the steamer at 
Greenock Wednesday morning, were found in our rooms, all 
unstrapped, awaiting our arrival at the hotels in London. 

Without mentioning the order in which we visited the differ- 
ent places of interest, I will confine myself to giving a brief 
description of each, also of the manners and customs of our 
English brethren as they appeared to me. 




LETTERS. 


21 


WESTMINSTER ABBEY. 

Every student of history is more or less familiar with West- 
minster Abbey, and it is so fraught with historic interest as to 
be worth a journey across the ocean to see ; the last resting- 
place of kings, queens, princes, poets, sculptors, and divines, 
who are now slumbering side by side, laid low by the great 
leveler Death. The abbey is an immense structure, and its 
great age is evident in nearly everything about it, except the 
guides. In form, it is the usual long cross, and has three en- 
trances. Its greatest length is about four hundred feet, and 
two of its towers rise to the height of two hundred and twenty- 
five feet. After entering the abbey, turn whichever way you 
will, you are constantly reminded that England’s choicest dust 
rests here, for innumerable memorials are to be seen on every 
hand, marking the spot where remains are buried. Portions of 
the abbey are set apart into what are called chapels, in which 
tombs have been erected. The oldest of the chapels is that of 
St. Edward the Confessor. It contains, besides the monument 
to its founder, those of many other monarchs. The most ele- 
gant tomb-chapel is that of Henry VII. It is most exquisitely 
carved on every side. Here is the tomb of Edward III., who 
died in 1377. Upon it rests his effigy, with the shield and 
sword which he carried in France, — a big, two-handled affair, 
seven feet long, and weighing eighteen pounds. In one chapel 
is a beautiful tomb erected to Mary Queen of Scots, and near it 
is another erected by King dames I. to Queen Elizabeth, bear- 
ing the recumbent effigy of that sovereign, supported by four 
lions. Queen Mary (“Bloody Mary”), who burned about 
seventy persons a year at the stake during four years of her 
reign, rests here in the same vault. The nine chapels of the 
abbey are crowded with the tombs and monuments of kings and 
others of royal birth down to the time of George II., when 
Windsor Castle was made the repository of the royal remains. 

Besides monuments to royal personages, I noticed those of 
men who have, by great deeds, and gifts of great inventions 
to mankind, achieved names that will outlive many of royal 
blood. 



22 


LETTERS. 


In the chapel of St. Paul there is a colossal figure of James 
Watt, who so developed the wonderful power of steam. There 
is also a tablet to Sir Humphrey Davy, and in the same chapel 
is a full-length statue of Mrs. Siddons, the tragic actress. 

One wonderfully executed monumental group which attracted 
my attention, and which is greatly admired by visitors gener- 
ally, represented a tomb, from the half-opened marble doors of 
which a figure of Death has just issued, and is in the very act 
of casting his dart at a lady who is sinking, affrighted, into the 
arms of her husband, who is rising, startled from his seat upon 
the top of the tomb. The group is terribly realistic, and the 
expression of affright of the two figures is wonderful, while 
Death, with the shroud half falling off, revealing the fleshless 
ribs, skull, and bones of the full-length skeleton, is something 
little short of appalling in its marvelous execution. 

Many a royal person lies in the abbey without a stone to 
mark his resting-place. Among these is the grave of the merry 
monarch, Charles II. The time I spent in the abbey was all too 
short to study the elaborate and splendid works of sculpture, 
the curious inscriptions, and the noteworthy appendages. Days 
might be advantageously passed here. Nearly every American 
who visits the abbey inquires for the “ Poet’s Corner,” and here 
I took special delight in lingering. Here we find the brightest 
names in English literature recorded. One is surrounded by 
names of those that the world has delighted to honor. Here is 
a medallion portrait of Ben Jonson, who died in 1627, with 
the well-known inscription below, — 

“ 0 rare Ben Jonson.” 

There is a bust of Butler, author of “ Hudibras,” and here is 
a tablet marking the resting-place of Spenser, author of the 
“Faerie Queene,” and near at hand is a bust of Milton. The 
spot where lies Geoffrey Chaucer, the father of English poetry 
and author of the “ Canterbury Tales,” is marked by a tomb 
with a carved Gothic canopy above it. 

The grave of the immortal Shakespeare is, of course, looked 
< upon with peculiar interest. The place is designated by a statue 



◄ 


LETTERS . 28 


of the great dramatist, leaning upon a pile of books resting 
upon a pedestal, and supporting a scroll upon which are in- 
scribed lines from his play of “ The Tempest.” Upon the base 
of the pillar upon which the statue leans, are the sculptured 
heads of Henry V., Richard II., and Queen Elizabeth. 

Gray’s monument is a Cupid unveiling a medallion of the 
poet. A large marble monument to Handel represents the great 
musician playing. There are a host of other monuments, tab- 
lets, and bas-reliefs to heroes, scholars, professors, actors, and 
writers, but I will mention only one other, which always at- 
tracts the attention of Americans. It is a bas-relief represent- 
ing the flag of truce conveyed to General Washington, asking 
the life of Major Andre. Over this group Britannia is repre- 
sented weeping. 

ST. PAUL’S. 

From almost any point in London the dome of St. Paul’s can 
be seen. The church is located in the oldest and most crowded 
part of the city. All around it are names with which for years 
we have all been familiar. Newgate, where the old walls of 
London stood, is near at hand, as are also Ludgate Hill, Fleet 
Street, the Old Bailey, and Cheapside. St. Paul’s is built of 
what is called Portland stone, originally light colored, but now 
grimed and blackened with smoke and age. The length of the 
building is five hundred feet ; its breadth two hundred and 
eighty feet ; and the top of the cross on the dome is three hun- 
dred and sixty feet from the sidewalk. The edifice covers two 
acres of ground. St. Paul’s is replete with interest. It was 
built by Sir Christopher Wren. The corner-stone of it was 
laid in 1675, and thirty-five years were required for its com- 
pletion. 

There are over fifty splendid monuments in St. Paul’s, and 
many of them are very elaborate and elegant affairs. The most 
noteworthy ones are those erected to the memory of Lord 
Nelson and the Duke of Wellington. The former is a splendid 
black marble sarcophagus. It was originally built for Cardinal 
Wolsey. The Duke of Wellington’s sarcophagus is of porphyry, 


24 


LETTERS. 


and the inclosure about it is lighted with gas from granite can- 
delabra. 

In other parts of the church are slabs denoting the resting- 
places of men well known to the world. Among them we notice 
those of Sir Joshua Reynolds, the great painter, Dr. Samuel 
Johnson, Henry Hallam, Sir John Moore, and Sir Henry Law- 
rence, who died defending Lucknow in 1857. 

Among the many interesting places in St. Paul’s is the Whis- 
pering Gallery. This is reached by a flight of two hundred and 
sixty steps, and about half way to it is the church library, con- 
taining many rare and curious works, among which is the first 
Book of Common Prayer ever printed. The Whispering Gal- 
lery extends for a distance of one hundred and forty yards, and 
whispered conversation can be carried on between persons 
seated at the extreme opposite sides of the space. The clapping 
of hands gives out a report almost as sharp as the discharge of 
a pistol. The Geometrical Stairs are a flight of ninety steps 
near the library, so ingeniously constructed that they all hang 
together without any visible means of support except the bot- 
tom step. 

The clock of St. Paul’s is a gigantic timepiece, indeed, when 
you get up to it. Its faces are fifty-seven feet in circumference, 
and the minute-hand a huge bar of steel, weighing seventy-five 
pounds, and nearly ten feet in length. The little hand is six 
feet long, and weighs forty-four pounds. The figures on the 
dial are over two feet in length. 

Above the Whispering Gallery are the Stone and Golden Gal- 
leries, from which magnificent views are obtainable. Next 
conies an ascent into the ball, which, together with the cross, fif- 
teen feet high, is upheld by a series of huge iron bars. Steps 
are notched into these bars, so that the ascent is easily made. 
Looking down from this great elevation, pedestrians upon the 
street look like Lilliputians, and unless one’s head is exceedingly 
clear it will reel at the sight. Although the globe looks very 
small from the ground, yet a dozen men can stand in it. I sup- 
pose the twin sight to St. Paul’s Church is London Tower, so we 
will next visit that. 


-A 




LETTERS. 


25 


THE TOWER OF LONDON. 

Here we are in the Tower of London ; in a structure which 
has figured most prominently in the history of the past. Every 
part of it is replete with thrilling story. It has witnessed some 
of the blackest and foulest deeds that ever were chronicled. Its 
foundation dates back to Caesar’s time, and the scenes which 
have occurred within its walls invest it with more historic in- 
terest than any other European palace or prison. Shakespeare 
has made this Tower to play a prominent and a bloody part in 
his dramas, and as we walk about in it we can almost fancy we 
see some of the characters he has so vividly drawn, and hear the 
cries of some of the victims who have died here. The Tower 
covers no less than thirteen acres, and inside the inclosure there 
are fourteen towers; namely, the Bell Tower, White, Bloody, 
Beauchamp, Flint, Devereux, Brick, Record, Bowyer, Jewel, 
Constable, Broad, Arrow, and Salt. 

The guides to the Tower are attired in the costume of the 
yeomen of the guard of Henry the Eighth’s time, and they are 
principally old soldiers who receive the position as a reward for 
bravery or faithful service. The admission to the. Tower is six- 
pence, and an additional sixpence is charged to see the crown 
jewels. One of the first interesting features is the armory, 
where thousands and thousands of weapons — pistols, swords, 
cutlasses, and bayonets — are kept, enough to equip a large 
army. Beauchamp Tower has much to attract, for here we 
began to visit the prisons of many an unhappy and unfortunate 
captive. The walls bear many inscriptions, which those who 
were confined there made. In one room is the word “Jane” 
cut, which is said to refer to Lady Jane Grey. The autograph 
of Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel, who was beheaded in 1572 
for aspiring to the hand of Mary Queen of Scots, is to be seen 
over a fireplace. 

In the White Tower is a small room, where Sir Walter Ra- 
leigh wrote his “History of the World.” Near by is the block 
and the executioner’s ax, which, in Elizabeth’s reign, severed 
Essex’s head from his body. The walls of this tower are about 
fifteen feet thick. The Bloody Tower is examined with the 





4 


26 


LETTERS. 



most interest, for the stones in it are red with the blood of many 
victims, and the walls seem to cry out in tones of horror at the 
deeds of violence that have been enacted within them. In a 
small cell, ten feet high and four feet deep, we are told Guy 
Fawkes was confined three days, which seems incredible to be- 
lieve, as the only air which can get into it comes through the key- 
hole of the door. Tower Green is a small square, railed with 
iron, on which stood the scaffold where Anne Boleyn was exe- 
cuted. Here, also, Lady Jane Grey poured forth her blood, and 
the Countess of Salisbury, aged seventy years, was killed by 
order of Henry VIII. 

It was in this tower that Clarence was drowned in the butt of 
Malmsey; and William Wallace, Lord Bacon, Cranmer, and 
Latimer were imprisoned here. But it is needless to further 
catalogue the names and deeds associated with this structure. 
The bloody tales are told in history. 

The Jewel Tower is eagerly sought by Americans, and it is 
amusing to notice the awe akin to reverence with which they 
look upon the glittering emblems of royalty kept here. The 
jewels, of course, are worth a king’s ransom, are indeed ele- 
gant, and have adorned many a royal head ; but these are insuf- 
ficient reasons why so many of our people should regard them, 
apparently, with veneration. Diamonds, emeralds, pearls, and 
other precious stones enter lavishly into the structure of the 

I crown and royal scepter. The display here reminds one of an 
immense jewelry store, and the blaze of light which the stones 
emit is almost dazzling. 

The visit to the Tower was attended with much pleasure, and 
a full description of what is to be seen here would fill a good- 
sized volume. 

I had hoped to finish the attractions in London in a single 
letter, but find that I have already spun this out to rather a 
tedious length, so will lay by my pen for the present. 


i 


4 - 


LETTERS. 


27 



IT. 


Interlachen, Switzerland, August 5, 1878. 
IDDING adieu to London, we proceeded by rail to 
Queenborough, and took the steamer for Flushing, 
was reached after an all-night ride upon the 
English Channel and the North Sea. Here our bag- 
gage was examined, but the detention was very short, and soon 
a train was whirling us on to Antwerp through a most beautiful 
country, level as a prairie and in the highest state of cultiva- 
tion. As new scenes were constantly unfolding themselves, the 
few hours of the journey sped by rapidly, freighted with in- 
terest. The country through which we passed, for a great part 
of the way, is covered with dikes, — huge embankments con- 
structed to prevent the encroachment of the sea. The labor 
that was required to throw up these immense fortifications 
must have been enormous. 

To strengthen the dikes, large numbers of trees are planted 
near them, the roots of which bind the earth very firmly. A 
curious feature about these trees is, that they are nearly all the 
same height, about seventy-five feet. As far as the eye can 
reach, the treetops are on a level. This is undoubtedly due to 
uniform and constant trimming for years after the trees are set 
out. 

We were all of us struck with the exceeding fertility of the 
land, which was evident from the magnificent fields of grain 
and vegetables to be seen extending for miles and miles. It is 
the dry season now, and vegetation fairly jumps from the 
ground, which is in perfect condition for providing crops with 
necessary sustenance, made so by months of constant rain. As 
soon as one crop is harvested another is immediately planted, 
and the time required for the ripening of both is only about 


I 


LETTERS. 



28 


* 


as long as it takes in New Hampshire for a single crop to attain 
maturity. 

The women seem to do the greater part of the work in this 
country, and the fields swarm with them, busy with the sickle, 
rake, and hoe. No fences are to be seen here, as indeed is the 
case all over Europe, but for them there are various substitutes. 

In Holland and Belgium, rows of tall trees are most frequently 
used to mark the land boundaries, and ditches are also made to 
answer the same purpose ; and these last serve an additional end 
by acting as reservoirs for water by which the soil is kept 
moist. 

At last Antwerp is reached, and, as we were conveyed in car- 
riages from the depot to Hotel de la Paix, we saw many curious 
sights in the way of buildings, people, equipages, etc. 

We passed through the market square, which was filled with 
bare-headed, quaint-head-dressed women and curiously-attired 
peasants, arranging their vegetables, fruit, etc., and the air was 
filled with a perfect babel of voices. Dogs are made to do ser- 
vice in Holland, Belgium, and Germany, to a great extent, being 
harnessed to carts which hold several bushels. The animals are 
chiefly mastiffs, and are so admirably trained to the business, 
that, when attached to the cart, nothing will attract their atten- 
tion from duty ; and during the absence of their master or mis- 
tress they keep faithful watch and guard over the wagon and 
its contents. 

Antwerp is a city of considerable commercial importance, as 
is evident from its splendid docks, two of which were built by 
Bonaparte, the walls of which are five feet thick. One of the 
dry docks here is the largest iii Europe, being five hundred feet 
long, and capable of holding two ships of one thousand tons 
register each at a time. 

Antwerp rejoices in a magnificent cathedral, which rises to a 
height of over four hundred feet. The exterior, although bear- 
ing unmistakable signs of age, is covered with architectural de- 
signs truly beautiful. The interior of the cathedral is grand and 
imposing ; and the sculpturing and works of art to be seen are 
viewed with admiration by visitors. But the chief attraction 

— ► p * 


f 


LETTERS. 29 


here is a large collection of Rubens’ best paintings, effectively 
arranged upon the walls of the cathedral. Everybody knows of 
the position which Rubens occupied in art; that he is one of the 
grand old masters whose pictures are most extensively copied. 
He lived and died here at Antwerp, and the old city is justly 
proud of her talented son. The Elevation and Descent from the 
Cross are considered the most remarkable of Rubens’ works, and 
those we saw in the cathedral. The figures are portrayed with 
wonderful and faithful accuracy ; and, as we look, it seems to 
us as though their creator must have been inspired, to produce 
such life-like realizations with mere paint and brush. 

In the church of St. Jacques is the tomb of Rubens, where 
are also more of his pictures, including his Holy Family. 

The zoological gardens of Antwerp are very large and beauti- 
fully laid out* and the collection of wild animals is quite exten- 
sive. In the center of the grounds is a handsome stand, in 
which a band plays choice music every evening, when hundreds 
of the inhabitants come to stroll about and sit beneath the 
shade trees, and eat ices and drink light wines and beer, and 
smoke pipes and cigars. 

Brussels was the next city we stopped at after leaving Ant- 
werp, and here a sojourn of several days was made. We are in 
the lace country now, and the manufactories are one of the 
principal attractions here. Brussels, or Bruxelles, as the natives 
spell it, is a clean-looking city, and contains very many things 
of interest to the traveler. It is divided into two parts, the 
upper and lower city. The latter is crowded, and inhabited 
principally by the poorer and.laboring classes, and contains many 
of the quaint, old-fashioned Dutch buildings of three centuries 
ago. The upper part of the city, where dwell the richer classes, 
contains fine, large, open squares and street-gardens, etc. We 
visited a museum at Brussels which contains some very fine pic- 
tures by Rubens, and a great many from the brush of an artist 
named Wiertz. Many of the subjects chosen by the latter were 
very singular and grotesque. One of the most horrible of the 
pictures represented a maniac mother, in a dimly-lighted room, 
cutting up one of her children with a butcher-knife, and putting 


LETTERS. 


the pieces into a pot boiling upon the fire. Every keyhole and 
crevice in the room is carefully covered, and the spectator seems 
to be getting a view from an unobserved crevice. The specta- 
cle is a frightful one, being terribly realistic. The picture is 
viewed through a small aperture in a wall. The power of 
Wiertz at deception on canvas was wonderful. Many of his 
pictures cheat the observer most successfully, as, for instance, 
a painting of a table bearing an easel and some brushes, is 
usually taken for the real article, and people very often reach 
out their hands to take up one of the brushes. A very interest- 
ing church in Brussels is the splendid cathedral of St. Gudule, 
founded in 1010, the principal wonders of which are its mag- 
nificently painted windows and the pulpit, which is a wonder of 
the carver’s art, and represents the expulsion of Adam and Eve 
from the Garden of Eden. 

We went to one of the lace establishments here, and, of 
course, like everybody else, were surprised at the smallness of 
the buildings in which the business is carried on. The one I 
visited did not differ, externally, in the least from hundreds 
of mansions in the city, and a stranger would invariably take it 
for a private dwelling. The inside of the rooms I found to be 
rather small, and in each sat half a dozen women busily engaged 
in the manufacture of different kinds of lace. 

Lace-making looks very simple, but it is a most laborious oc- 
cupation, and requires the constant attention of those, who are 
engaged in it. The thread of which the lace is constructed is 
wound on a score of long and slender spools, and it is by the lift- 
ing and moving of these spools that the different patterns are 
wrought. The pattern is marked with a pencil on a piece of 
paper, and lies on a wooden stand in front of the operative. 
When I saw the women lifting these spools, which they do with 
great rapidity, I thought they were simply getting their tools in 
order previous to commencing work ; but as they did not change 
their mode of operation while I was there, it was evident that 
those were the maneuvers which they went through to make 
the lace. The lady in charge showed us many of her lace treas- 
ures, some of which were valued at hundreds of dollars. I saw 


► 


* 



♦ 


« 


— | 

LETTERS. 31 

some point-lace, most beautiful in design and exquisite in text- 
ure, resembling, more than anything else, a mass of spider’s 
web. The women who are employed in these lace manufac- 
tories are very poorly paid, the most expert receiving only about 
twenty-five cents per day, and after a few years of labor they 
have to abandon it for something else, on account of failing 
eyesight. 

Although, in Holland and Belgium, Dutch is the national lan- 
guage, nearly everybody speaks French, and in the principal 
hotels and places of business English-speaking persons are to 
be found, and the number of these is increasing yearly, owing 
to the thousands of Americans and English who each summer 
travel on the continent. 

The principal attraction at Brussels is the field of the battle 
of Waterloo, situated about a dozen miles out of the city, and 
accessible by cars, or by a carriage-drive through a beautiful 
country on a smooth and well-kept road. The field is a large 
plain, intersected by several broad roads. Monuments rise here 
and there to mark the spots where the fight raged the hottest. 

Here is a low ridge where Wellington’s men lay until the Old 
Guard was almost upon them ; then, rising at the word of com- 
mand, they poured their leaden hail into the breasts of the foe 
with frightful effect. We come to the chateau of Hougoumont, 
which sustained such a succession of desperate attacks. At the 
time of the battle the place was a gentleman’s country-seat, and 
the shattered ruins of the buildings are highly interesting as 
reminders of the battle. Four companies of the English held 
this place for seven hours against an assaulting army, fifteen 
hundred members of which fell in less than an hour. Victor 
Hugo, in his “ Les Miserables,” describes this portion of the 
battle-field most vividly. Going into the orchard, we are shown 
where distinguished officers fell, and where Napoleon and Wel- 
lington directed the struggle. Marks made by bullets, axes, and 
flame, are distinctly visible in the ruins on the field, and give 
unmistakable evidence of the bloody struggle that history so 
thrillingly pictures. Near the field is a museum, in which many 
interesting relics are shown. At the village of Waterloo, just 


32 


LETTERS. 


off the field, is the house where Wellington wrote his dispatch 
announcing the victory. Here may be seen the pencil with 
which he wrote. The boot of the Marquis of Anglesea, who 
lost a leg in the fight, is also on exhibition here. 

In Brussels, as well as in all the cities of Belgium, Holland, 
and Germany, the sidewalks are covered with tables and chairs, 
where come the inhabitants to eat, drink, and smoke. Indeed, 
one is led to think, from the number of people to be seen sitting 
about town in front of eating and drinking places, that all they 
do is to cater to the wants of their stomachs. Everybody drinks 
here, from the little child hardly able to walk, to the old man 
with one foot in the grave. Beer and light wines are the prin- 
cipal beverages, and the price of them is very cheap. Notwith- 
standing all the liquor that is drank, there is hardly any drunk- 
enness or rowdyism to be seen upon the streets. Everything is 
quiet and orderly, and in a city the size of Brussels, to say the 
least, it is surprising that such a state of things should exist. 
Very few arrests are made during the week. Sunday is a gala- 
day, and the stores are all open, the saloons are in full blast, 
numerous concerts, theatres, etc., may be attended, and there is 
nothing to remind one that it is the sabbath. 

From Brussels we went to the city of perfume, Cologne, of 
which I will speak in my next letter. 




LETTERS. 


33 



V. 


Geneva, Switzerland, August 7, 1878. 
arrived in Cologne on an afternoon of a very hot day, 
the 22d of July, tired and dusty, and the first thing 
that several of the male members of the party did 
was to take a bath in the river Rhine, in one of those 
splendid bath-houses so common in Europe. We came out of it 
greatly refreshed, and in spirits sufficiently exuberant to permit 
us to indulge in considerable sight-seeing before we retired that 
night. 

Cologne is the oldest town on the Rhine. It is built in the 
shape of a crescent, and is inclosed with seven miles of wall, 
besides numerous ramparts and deep ditches. It is very irregu- 
larly built, and many of the streets are narrow and ill-paved. 
Cologne reminds me of Philadelphia, inasmuch as its sewage 
flows along the sides of the streets, but it is not nearly as clean a 
place as the “ City of Quakers.” I don’t wonder that Coleridge 
wrote : — 

“ The river Rhine, it is well known, 

Doth wash the city of Cologne ; 

But tell me, nymphs, what power divine 
Shall henceforth wash the river Rhine?” 

The sidewalks are horrible ; in fact, there are no sidewalks of 
any account, and people as well as horses wend their way in the 
middle of the street. 

The principal things for which the city is noted are its cathe- 
dral and cologne water. The former is one of the wonders of 
the world, and is a magnificent specimen of Gothic architecture. 
It was commenced in 1248, and proceeded slowly until the six- 
teenth century, when it was left in an incomplete state. Not until 
1816 were any steps taken to save it from falling into decay ; 


4 


◄ 


«■ 


34 


LETTERS. 


in that year King Frederick William III. caused an enormous 
amount of money to be spent upon it. William IV. continued 
the restoration, and the best Gothic architects of the day were 
set to work upon it ; but the plans of the cathedral are so ex- 
tensive and elaborate that it is not yet completed, nor will it be 
for a number of years. Two hundred thousand dollars are 
annually appropriated for the building of the edifice. It stands 
upon a portion of the old Roman camp-ground. Countless 
sums of money have been expended on it in its day, and numer- 
ous have been the bequests made to it. Some idea of the vast- 
ness of the cathedral may be had from the figures representing 
its dimensions. The interior is four hundred and thirty feet 
long, and one hundred and forty feet broad ; the transept, two 
. hundred and thirty-four feet long ; and the choir, one hundred 
and forty feet high. The part which is appropriated for divine 
services occupies an area of seventy thousand square feet. 
When completed it will be five hundred and twenty-five feet 
high. The interior of the cathedral is wonderfully grand, and 
demands careful inspection. It is rich in details. There are 
seven chapels, containing many rare pictures, decorated altars, 
and relics. The most celebrated is that known as the Chapel of 
the Three Magi, in which is a gorgeous casket protected by a 
cover richly ornamented and set with precious stones. Beneath 
this are the tops of three skulls bearing golden crowns. These 
are said to have rested upon the shoulders of the wise men of the 
East who figured at the adoration of our Saviour. After being 
told this piece of information by the guide, with much mystery 
and solemnity, one feels like putting to him the interrogation 
which our American humorist, Mark Twain, in his “ Innocents 
Abroad,” says he so often used, — “ Is he dead ? ” The treasury 
of the cathedral is exceedingly rich, and contains costly gold 
and silver church vessels, magnificent vestments for priests, etc. 
Among the things to be seen is a sort of frame-work in which 
the consecrated wafer is held up to view before the congregation 
in Roman Catholic churches. It is over a foot and a half high, 
of solid gold, and weighs over ten pounds. It is studded with 
large jewels, and must have cost a fortune. The stained-glass 



* 





— — ^ 

LETTERS. 35 

windows in the church are splendid specimens of workmanship. 
There are a number of tombs in the church, which contain 
the remains of enjinent men. From the steeple, a beautiful 
view may be had of the Rhine and the lovely surrounding land- 
scape. You can see the river winding on its course far in the 
distance, and look upon the vine-clad hills green as emerald for 
miles and miles. 

Associated with Cologne, of course, is its perfumery. One 
never thinks of the former without sniffing the scent of the lat- 
ter, and it is the general impression that cologne-water is its chief 
article of commerce. Be that as it may, about every other store 
in the city has it exposed for sale, and all claim to have the 
“ Original Jean Antoine Marie Farina.” Most of it is very poor 
stuff, but the best cologne that is made can be bought at stores 
kept by descendants of old Farina himself, the location of 
which can be easily ascertained. 

The church of St. Ursula, built in the eleventh century, is 
always visited by strangers, as it contains, it is said, the bones 
of eleven thousand virgins murdered in the city on their return 
from a pilgrimage to Rome. All the interior of the church is 
decorated with bones. 

Cologne also boasts of a large museum and zoological gar- 
dens. A stroll along its wharves is interesting, especially in the 
morning, when they are all alive with traders. 

The evening we passed here Gilmore’s famous band gave a 
concert, which a number of our party attended. As of course 
the readers of the “ Mirror ” are aware, this organization is win- 
ning high encomiums in this country for its artistic rendering 
of the most difficult music. It created quite a furore in Paris 
at the Exposition. 

What there is of interest in Cologne can soon be seen, and 
most travelers take their leave of it as did we, in a steamboat 
headed up the Rhine. Leaving the city, good views are obtained 
of the bridges, the cathedral, and the principal public buildings. 

The ride up the river is perfectly charming ; the scenery is 
beautifully picturesque and interesting; the little villages on 
the banks, the vine-clad hills, little Gothic churches, large and 







86 


LETTERS. 



stately castles, old romantic ruins, every one of which has a 
history, — all contribute to fill out a lovely picture. One of the 
objects which first attract the attention of an American in 
going up the Rhine, is the vineyards. The banks on both sides 
of the river, rising to the height of hundreds of feet, are cov- 
ered with grape-vines arranged in terraces one above another. 
No wonder that the best and cheapest wines in the world are to 
be found in this region. And, speaking of wine, I will say right 
here, that in Germany and Switzerland wine can be bought for 
a mere song. That which at home costs three dollars a bottle, 
can be bought here for about one-third of that price. It flows 
almost as free as water, and everybody drinks it, from thp high" 
est to the lowest, the oldest to the youngest. Occasionally we 
came to a bridge of boats, a section of which had to be de- 
tached to permit the steamer to pass. We were on the river all 
day and enjoyed ourselves hugely. Our destination was Bie- 
berich, but before we get off the boat I will say a word of 
“Bingen on the Rhine.” We made a short stop at this town, 
so beautifully written about in the poem so familiar to us all, 
and a number of the passengers alighted from the steamer for 
the sake of being able to say that they had stepped foot in 
Bingen. It is a small place, very prettily situated, but not in 
itself particularly interesting. If it had not been for the poem 
I have referred to, it would never have been widely known. 
Large quantities of wine are made here, and the neighborhood 
abounds in lovely scenery. Much might be written about the 
points of interest which lie nestled among the hills between 
Cologne and Bieberich, but I will not trespass upon your space. 
It was nine o’clock in the evening when the steamer landed 
us at the last-named town, from which we were conveyed in 
carriages to Wiesbaden, a drive of several miles along a per- 
fectly level road arched with horse-chestnut trees. The road 
from thenvharf to the hotel is as straight as engineering skill 
can make it, and it would make the owners of good horseflesh 
in New Hampshire wild with delight to have such a trotting- 
course in the immediate vicinity of their stables. Of Wiesba- 
den, the Newport of Europe, I will speak next time. 


LETTERS. 


37 


i 


VI. 



IESBADEN, called the Newport of Europe, is one of 


the oldest watering-places in Germany, and was for- 
merly almost as great a town for gambling as Baden- 
Baden. The chief attraction here is the Cursaal, 


Paris, France, August 9, 1878. 


where the gambling used to be carried on so extensively, the 


rooms being thronged with players and spectators from eleven 


a. m. to eleven p. m., the principal games played being roulette 
and rouge-et-noir. The Cursaal is furnished most elegantly, and 
surrounding it are a large park and pleasure-ground beautifully 
laid out with walks, arbors, ponds, fountains, etc. A band 
plays here frequently, and the scene in the evening, when the 
season is at its height, is gay in the extreme. It is a very fash- 
ionable watering-place, and large numbers of summer boarders 
come here every year. Its hotels, of which there are many, are 
exceedingly fine, and the drives about the place are charming. 
In one part of the town is located a mineral spring, from which 
boiling water flows. This water, it is claimed, possesses many 
medicinal properties, and hundreds of persons drink and bathe 
in it daily. The spring is covered by a small building, and the 
water is dealt out free by pretty German girls, who earn many 
a penny by their attractiveness and courtesy. Of course we all 
tasted the water; everybody does who goes there and can wait 
for it to cool, for as it comes from the spring it is so hot that a 
cast-iron throat would be required for its passage. There is 
nothing at all disagreeable about it, except the heat. In taste it 
is slightly saline. 

Leaving Wiesbaden and its warm decoction of salt and water, 
we sped on to Frankfort-on-the-Main, remaining a sufficiently 
long time to see all the sights which this celebrated commercial 


4 


4 


38 


LETTERS. 


city offers. Frankfort is pleasantly situated v in the midst of a 
plain, and has many broad streets lined with large and fine resi- 
dences. In one portion of the city, however, in that called the 
Jewish quarter, some streets are so narrow that two vehicles can 
not pass each other. Here the most squalid poverty prevails, and 
the buildings are very old and dilapidated, many of them being- 
in the last stages of decay. Several years ago quite a number 
of buildings in the Jewish district were torn down, which had a 
beneficial effect in giving to the section a cleaner appearance. 
Here, in stores black with age, every description of cheap and 
second-hand merchandise is exposed for sale. Here we were 
shown the house in which the Rothschilds were born. At one 
time all the Jews in Frankfort were compelled to reside in this 
district, being kept in by gates at each end. Many of the Jews 
of to-day live in the most stately edifices of which the city can 
boast. 

Here in Frankfort is the house in which Goethe was born, 
and in a public square is a handsome monument of Gutenberg, 
Faust, and Schceffer. Drainage is carried on here according to 
the most improved plan, at an enormous expense. The town is 
surrounded with public grounds tastefully laid out. The cathe- 
dral here is remarkable rather for its historical associations 
than for any intrinsic beauty or elegance ; indeed, it is very 
plain inside. It was founded in 1238. Its height is two hun- 
dred and sixty feet. Forty-six German emperors have been 
crowned in the cathedral. Near the cathedral is an old 
house at whiqh Martin Luther stopped on his way to Worms. 
Frankfort has an old bridge, built in 1342, which seems as firm 
and substantial as though it was constructed only yesterday. 
The center is adorned with a statue of Charlemagne, near which 
is a cock, the latter being, it is said, erected to commemorate 
the story, that, whereas, by private compact between the devil 
and the architect, the first living thing that crossed was to be 
sacrificed to the former, it was arranged for a cock to be the 
victim. 

After leaving Frankfort, Heidelberg was the place at which 
we took up our abode, and a glorious old town it is, rich in his- 


LETTERS. 


39 


toricdl associations, as all readers are aware. Few towns are 
more charmingly situated or possess a more picturesque appear- 
ance. Five times the town has been bombarded, twice reduced 
to ashes, and three times its inhabitants were given over to the 
rapine and plunder of soldiery. Having suffered so much from 
the ravages of war, Heidelberg is now comparatively a modern 
town. The attraction which has the most fascination for the 
tourist is the old castle, a most imposing and magnificent ruin, 
with lofty turrets, great, round towers, terraces, archways, and 
court-yards. It is called the most splendid ruin in all Europe. 
It is a wonderful mingling of fortress and palace. Its foundation 
dates back to the thirteenth century, and fortunes were spent in 
its construction. No modern structure I have ever seen com- 
pares for a moment with this castle in solidity and architectural 
grandeur. As you look upon it in all its vastness, you can hardly 
believe that human agency created it. Here are walls twenty- 
five feet thick, and the rest of the castle is built on the same 
gigantic plan. I cannot, of course, describe in the limits of a 
letter the vast extent and splendor of this castle. One might 
stay here for days and make new discoveries almost hourly. 
The castle is covered with figures of the most beautiful design, 
chiseled out of the solid stone. 

The eye is bewildered with the profusion of the works of art, 
which are the result of six centuries of labor. The castle is 
situated upon a high hill, only accessible from two points. The 
view from many spots about the grounds is very extensive and 
pleasing. Before leaving the castle I must speak of the wine- 
cellar. Here may be seen barrels as large as cottage houses, in 
which the lordly occupants of the castle kept their wine. One 
of these hogsheads when filled holds two hundred and thirty-six 
thousand bottles. On the top of it, which is reached by a flight 
of stairs, is laid a platform, upon which many a quadrille has 
been danced. 

The University of Heidelberg is justly and widely celebrated 
as a school of law and medicine, and from its walls many illus- 
trious scholars have gone forth. The buildings are very plain 
and unpretentious looking. About eight hundred students at 


◄ 


40 


LETTERS. 


present are in attendance at the university. It was founded in 
1386. The library of the institution is a very valuable one. In 
1662, after bombarding the town, Tilly is said to have used a 
part of the contents of this library as litter for his horses. 
The students are stalwart-looking fellows, who appear to take 
life easy. They may be seen about town at most any hour of 
the day, and nearly every one you meet has his face disfigured 
with scars, the result of duels, which are of very common occur- 
rence among those who pursue their studies at the university. 
Some of the faces I saw were horribly scarred, bearing great 
gashes six inches long. All disputes of a serious nature are set- 
tled by a duel, and a student who refuses to fight is ever after 
looked upon with contempt. Indeed, so thoroughly has this idea 
of dueling been engrafted into the German mind, that I doubt if 
one of the eight' hundred students in the institution would de- 
cline a challenge to meet an opponent. Moreover, it is consid- 

I ered a mark of glory and honor to be the possessor of one or 
more scars. ' The dueling-grounds of the students are situated 
near the buildings, but strangers are not allowed to witness any 
of the contests. The style of dueling here is peculiar. The 
students are well swathed in wadding, linen, and cord, and the 
face is the point at which thrusts are made. Occasionally a 

I duel terminates fatally. The faculty evidently look with favor 
upon this mode of settling disputes, as they take ho steps to put 
a stop to it. The students wear different colored caps, to desig- 

I nate the corps to which they belong. 

Beautiful meerschaum pipes can be bought in Heidelberg, at 
very low prices ; also, many curiously carved articles of ivory. 

In connection with the students, I forgot to mention that 
there are certain clubs famed for the number of glasses of beer 
which the members can drink. No one can join them until he 
disposes of the prescribed amount of beer ; and the president of 

I the club is he who can hold the largest number of glasses. The 
beer-gardens here, as the reader will doubtless imagine, are very 

1 liberally patronized by the students. 

The surroundings of Heidelberg are very romantic, and many 
delightful excursions can be made to the adjacent districts. 


4 


■* 


LETTERS. 


41 


TIL 

V ;-v ; Paris, France, August 12, 1878. 

FTER leaving Heidelberg we went to Baden-Baden, 
t ^e gayest of the gay watering-places in Europe, 

although its glory and brightness have somewhat 
paled since the gambling-houses have been shut up. 
In the height of the summer season, and we were fortunately 
there at that time, the town is crowded with visitors ; and of an 
evening or late in the afternoon, the scene upon the principal 
streets, alive with handsome equipages and richly dressed prom- 
enaders, is ever changing and gay in the extreme. The aris- 
tocracy and wealth of numerous nations may be seen here. 
Baden lies at the entrance of the celebrated Black Forest, which, 
tradition tells us, was inhabited by giants, dwarfs, and all sorts 
of spirits. The drives about the place are delightful, and along 
the bank of the River Ouse is a splendid, broad, level road, which 
is at certain hours thronged with vehicles. The hotels here are 
large, comfortable, and well-kept, and the prices charged are in 
great contrast with the exorbitant demands of Saratoga and 
Newport and other first-class summer resorts in America. In 
the center of nearly all the hotels on the continent is a large 
court-yard, without a roof, and provided with tables and chairs, 
and adorned and made beautiful and attractive with flowers, 
fountains, luxuriant potted plants, etc. Here you can sit in the 
shade with pleasant surroundings, and enjoy yourself in a quiet 
and comfortable manner. 

One of the attractions here which strangers always visit, is 
the great gaming-house, where thousands of francs have been 
lost and won in a single night. It is an enormous building, 
beautifully fitted up with drawing-rooms, elegant ball-rooms, 
reading-room, band-room, etc. The most artistic paintings 


LETTERS. 


42 


adorn the walls, and the chandeliers are gorgeous. The furni- 
ture in these rooms is of the richest kind, and all the appoint- 
ments are of a palatial order. Magnificent gardens, which have 
been made strikingly beautiful by means of a profusion of 
flowers, plants, trees, statues, etc., surround the building, and 
here in the evening crowds of people gather to listen to charm- 
ing music by a band, eat ice-cream, drink wine, chat, walk, and 
have a good time. A small admission fee is charged to enter 
the building, which is used now for balls, etc. Standing in the 
main room, in which the tiger a few years since was so exten- 
sively fought, your fancy hears the rattle of the roulette wheel, 
the chink of gold and silver, and the clatter of tongues. Around 
the tables here people of every condition and profession in life 
assembled, ladies as well as gentlemen, professional gamblers 
and inexperienced youths, counts and adventuresome Ameri- 
cans, — all worshiping at the same gilded altar, over which 
the pall has long since fallen. Like Wiesbaden, this |)lace also 
has a mineral spring, the waters of which are each year quaffed 
by thousands. The empress paid the town a flying visit while 
we were there, and a number of festivities were inaugurated in 
her honor, and hundreds of banners were thrown to the breeze. 
I got a glimpse of the carriage in which she was taking a drive, 
but failed to see her. The equipage was a very imposing 
affair. 

A two hours’ ride from Baden-Baden is the old city of Stras- 
bourg, celebrated for its magnificent cathedral and wonderful 
clock. The cathedral is the highest in the world, towering four 
hundred and sixty-eight feet, and is rich in beautiful and artis- 
tic carvings and statues. W e forbear giving a detailed descrip- 
tion of it. Its length is six hundred and twenty-five feet, and 
breadth one hundred and ninety-five feet. Its great stained- 
glass windows, representing scriptural subjects, are wondrously 
beautiful. The cathedral was commenced in 1015, and the 
original plans are preserved in the town. The great astronom- 
ical clock is located inside the cathedral, and, as every one 
knows, is a wonderful piece of mechanism. At twelve o’clock, 
figures representing the twelve apostles pass in procession be- 


LETTERS. 


43 


fore the Saviour, who blesses each, and a cock crows ; the devil 
is seen looking out of a window, and a cupid turns an hour- 
glass, etc,, etc. At the quarters, a little child, youth, manhood, 
and old age respectively appear. Then connected with the clock 
are a perpetual calendar and a celestial globe, and numerous other 
ingenious contrivances. The model of this clock which has 
been quite extensively exhibited in the United States, is a faith- 
ful representation of the original. 

September 28, 1870, Strasbourg surrendered to the German 
army, and signs of the five weeks’ bombardment which it 
• experienced are visible in many places. The cathedral was 
slightly damaged during the engagement. At present, the town 
is constructing fortifications on a very extensive scale, and the 
next time, if ever, it is attacked, the besiegers will find it more, 
of an undertaking to capture the place than did the army eight 
years ago. Strasbourg claims the honor of being the birth- 
place of printing, and a statue of Gutenberg adorns a place 
named after him. 

The place is celebrated in the estimation of gourmands for 
[ the rich pates, known as pates de foie gras. These are made 
from the livers of geese, the said livers being of enormous size, 
made so by cruel treatment of the unfortunate birds. The 
storks of Strasbourg are more fortunate, being received and 
treated by the inhabitants with the greatest hospitality. As a 
result, the town is alive with them. They build their nests, 

| huge affairs, on the chimney-tops. So much do the people 
think of these ungainly looking birds, that they consider it as a 
! sure presage of coming good fortune to the inhabitants of the 
dwelling which a stork selects for his home. The same super- 
stition prevails also in Holland. 

A spot on the Rhine where every tourist should spend a 
day, is at Neuhausen, where the falls of the Rhine are located. 
The place is one of great interest from the beauty of the river 
at this point. The Rhine above the falls is about three hundred 
feet wide, and the height of the falls is about sixty feet on one 
side and forty-five on the other ; the water rushes in three leaps 
with a volume of about one hundred thousand cubic feet per 


44 


LETTERS. 


second, and then falls into a large basin. The spectacle is one 
of true beauty and grandeur, although it does not approximate 
the magnificence of Niagara. 

I crossed the river just below the falls in a boat rowed by two 
brawny-armed specimens of mountaineers, and enjoyed the 
novel experience of being on water which boiled and bubbled 
with a deafening roar, being lashed to foam by the tremendous 
volume of water which came tumbling down over the rocks. On 
a high eminence overlooking the falls, is an old castle from which 
a fine view of the river is obtainable. At several places on the 
grounds projections are built out into the river, where the full 
power, force, and grandeur of the falls may be appreciated. 
Here rubber coats are put on, as the spray dashes about con- 
tinually. At the castle will be found a good collection of Swiss 
carvings, photographs, curiosities, etc. The color of the river at 
Neuhausen is in striking contrast to what it is from Cologne to 
Bieberich, being all the way between those places dirty and 
muddy in appearance, while here it is clear and very green. 

Zurich was our next stopping-place, which was reached after 
a delightful ride of a few hours through a country abounding 
in beautiful scenery. We were particularly struck with the lit- 
tle country stations which we were whirled rapidly past. They 
are very pretty rustic Swiss cottages, covered with running 
vines, and the yards about them are radiant in blossoms of 
many hues. Everything about these stations is kept in perfect 
order, and the places are exceedingly inviting. At every railroad 
crossing we noticed a uniformed guard stationed, with a musket at 
his shoulder, to prevent the possibility of an accident by persons 
going over the track near the time when a train is due. The 
railroad system here is much superior to ours in America, every 
precaution to guard against accidents being taken, and it is 
very seldom that any traveler is injured. An American can 
make journeys on the cars here with much greater comfort than 
he can at home. You can always tell when a train is to start 
by a whistle from the engine, there being no unnecessary ring- 
ing of bells. Numerous guards accompany each train, and they 
will answer any number of questions for you in the most civil 



LETTERS. 


45 


manner, and render any necessary assistance about luggage. 
There is no confusion and hubbub at the stations ; everything 
moves on smoothly, and you are not in any danger of being run 
over by a truck loaded with trunks. 

The road-beds are better than a majority of those in Amer- 
ica, being to a great extent macadamized, and consequently 
the trains run very smoothly. One thing about English loco- 
motives that particularly pleases an American is the absence of 
cinders and dirt while riding in the cars. You can keep your 
head out of the window for an hour at a time and the chances 
are that you will not get a speck of dirt in your eyes, the cinders 
being nearly all consumed. But, notwithstanding these advan- 
tages which I have mentioned, we can still teach them some- 
thing about railroading. 

Leaving the subject of railroads, we will return to Zurich 
long enough to say a single word about this lovely town. Zurich 
is situated on the shores of a beautiful lake about twenty-five 
miles in length, around several sides of which high mountains 
tower heavenward, forming an appropriate frame for the pleas- 
ing picture nestling in the valley. One of these mountains, 
covered with snow, lifts its peak ten thousand feet. The hotel 
at which we stopped, Belle Vue, is situated on the edge of the 
lake, and from the windows of one side a stone can be tossed 
into the waters below, It was here that General Grant stopped 
a few weeks since. We were shown the apartments which he 
occupied. They were very elegantly fitted up, rich crimson vel- 
vet forming the covering of the furniture. The attractions in 
Zurich are not many, but it is a splendid place , to spend a few 
days, and is quite extensively patronized by travelers. The lake 
is the abode of numerous varieties of the finny tribe, and its 
waters are fished considerably. We went from Zurich to 
Lucerne. 



46 


LETTERS. 



Till. 

Paris, France, August 19, 1878. 

T was at the lovely town of Lucerne that we headquar- 
tered next after leaving Zurich, and we remained in 
that vicinity several days. It is a very fashionable re- 
sort, no one thinking of making a tour of Europe with- 
out going there. In consequence of the large tide of tourists 
which sweeps in upon Lucerne each summer, a number of mag- 
nificent hotels have been erected, one of which, the Schweizerhof, 
is regarded as the finest hotel on the continent. Lucerne is 
most beautifully situated on the shores of that sheet of water 
bearing the same name as the town, of whose loveliness poets 
have so often sung. And the subject well merits all that has 
been said in its favor; for it is indeed a charming lake, most 
romantically located at the foot of mountains which tower 
thousands of feet into the air. The lake, besides being called 
Lucerne, is known as the Lake of the Four Cantons. It is con- 
sidered the most beautiful body of water in all Switzerland, and 
the grandeur and beauty of the scenery on every side are height- 
ened by the historical associations connected with the country 
bordering on its waters ; for these cantons are the birthplace of 
Switzerland’s freedom, and the scenes of the struggles of Wil- 
liam Tell and his brave associates. 

A few miles’ ride on the lake brings you to Tell’s chapel, situ- 
ated upon a rock on the shore, and marking the place where 
Tell sprang out of Gessler’s boat, as is told in the stories of the 
Swiss hero. One of the principal sights in Lucerne is a lion 
sculptured out of the solid rock by the celebrated Danish sculp- 
tor, Thorwaldsen, in memory of the Swiss guard that were 
massacred in defense of the Tuileries in 1792. The figure is in 
a beautiful grotto, a sheet of water, and, as a work of art, is 






LETTERS. 


47 


« 


truly magnificent, being most admirable in conception and exe- 
cution. This colossal piece of sculpture, twenty-eight and one- 
half feet long and eighteen feet high, represents a dying lion 
with his side transfixed by a broken spear, protecting the shield 
of the Bourbons, even in the agonies of death. Near the lion is 
a chapel, where on the tenth of August a special solemn mass is 
celebrated in memory of the slain. In the immediate neighbor- 
hood of the lion is the celebrated Glacier Garden, where are to 
be seen most wonderful geological phenomena in the shape of 
what are called “ Giant Pots,” or huge excavations in the solid 
rock. Some of these are thirty feet deep and seventy-five feet 
in circumference, and at the bottom may be seen the bowlders 
which brought these “ pots ” into existence. Glacial action was 
undoubtedly the agent which was chiefly instrumental in pro- 
ducing these results, but the glaciers were of much greater mag- 
nitude than any which now exist. The rocks in this locality are 
very much grooved, revealing clearly that huge rivers of snow 
and ice passed down the mountain side. 

The walls and watch-towers of Lucerne date back to the four- 
teenth century, when the town occupied a far more prominent 
position among the Swiss towns than at present. Its population 
is about sixteen thousand. Lucerne has two very old and inter- 
esting bridges, one of which dates back to the beginning of the 
fourteenth century. It is decorated with one hundred and fifty- 
four curious paintings, so suspended that any one crossing from 
the north side beholds in succession seventy-seven scenes from 
the lives of the joint patron saints of the town, but coming in 
the opposite direction the scenes are commemorative of events 
in the history of the Swiss Confederation. In the other bridge 
the Dance of Death is quaintly depicted. The arsenal of Lu- 
cerne abounds in objects of interest. The reputed sword of 
Tell is shown here, also axes and suits of armor from old battle- 
fields. 

One of the greatest attractions is the old cathedral, where every 
evening may be heard one of the finest organs in the world. 
We enjoyed an hour’s concert, which was marvelously fine. 
The organ possesses wonderful power, and its tone is peculiarly 



48 


LETTERS. 


sweet and clear. The man who presided at the instrument is 
an old and talented performer, and his efforts are masterpieces. 
The selections rendered embraced a variety of styles, adapted to 
display to the best advantage the possibilities of the organ. The 
piece, however, which represented a thunder-storm among the 
Alps, elicited from our party, as it always does from everybody, 
the most praise. It was indeed a marvelous performance, 
intensely realistic. The rattle and trickle of rain-drops, the fitful 
gusts of the rising tempest, and the muttering of the distant 
thunder were first heard. Gradually the tefnpest increased, the 
thunder roared, the rain fell in torrents, the wind howled and 
shrieked, and the swollen streams came rushing down the moun- 
tain. Then the peals gradually subsided and rolled slowly off 
among the mountains, the wind abated, and the rain ceased ; 
and the notes of a small organ, as if in a convent or chapel near 
by, were heard, and then arose a chant so sweet and clear that it 
seemed as if the voices of the world’s choicest singers were 
assembled together. This chant by invisible voices finally burst 
into a glorious hymn of praise, and then gradually faded away 
as though one by one the singers were quietly departing. The 
effect of the thunder-storm and its peaceful termination was sin- 
gularly grand and sweet, and the audience listened spell-bound. 
It seemed too real to be the result of the fingers of an organist 
upon his instrument. The performance is one that, once heard, 
never will be forgotten. The vox-humana stop of the organ sur- 
passes any thing of the kind in the world. It is this which 
causes the sweet sounds so surprisingly life-like and clear. 

At Lucerne, very beautiful articles of Swiss handiwork may 
be bought very cheap. Besides carvings and ingenious works of 
art, the most exquisitely embroidered handkerchiefs are for sale 
here at very reasonable prices. Some of these handkerchiefs are 
wonderful specimens of skill with the needle, the most beautiful 
and intricate patterns being worked upon them. The Swiss girls 
who do this kind of work can pursue it only a few hours each 
day, as it is exceedingly tedious and causes a great strain upon 
the eyes. While at Lucerne our party made an excursion to the 
Righi, one of the most famous of the mountains of Switzerland. 





LETTERS. 


The Righi consists of a series of peaks, the highest of which 
falls a little below Mt. Washington. .There is a railway up the 
mountain, patterned after our famous one in New Hampshire. 
Its length is three and one-half miles, and the labor of construct- 
ing it required the expenditure of a vast amount of money. 
The views which we enjoyed in ascending were beautiful in the 
extreme ; but, fine as they were, they but faintly foreshadowed 
what we were to see that evening when the sun should set. 
When the summit was nearly reached a cloud covered the low- 
lands and shut out our view, and we feared that we should be 
unable to see Righi in all its loveliness. Towards evening, how- 
ever, the clouds rolled away and the sun burst forth in all its 
splendor, revealing a spectacle most grand and magnificent. 
Lake Lucerne was at our feet ; and eight other Swiss lakes, calm 
and still, and looking like plates of polished steel, rested on the 
landscape and flashed in the sunbeams. Silver ribbons of rivers 
glittered on the bosom of the earth like necklaces, and the innu- 
merable little Swiss villages, scattered about on the rich dark 
green carpet of verdure, made a picture that defies description . 
All around, their summits covered with snow, rise mountains 
ten and twelve thousand feet into the air, the effect of the sun’s 
rays upon which is strikingly splendid. They seemed to be all 
afire. Gradually the shadows deepen. The sun is sinking. 
The blaze is becoming fainter, and we perceive the sun go 
down, — a huge ball of fire. Its light is extinguished and night is 
fast settling around. We turn and go to the hotel and exhaust 
our vocabulary of terms of admiration over the grand spectacle 
we have just witnessed. We retired early that night, and at 
three o’clock were aroused by the Alpine horn breaking sweet 
and clear upon the still mountain air. We dressed ourselves 
hurriedly and went out of doors, eager to catch the first glimpse 
of the sunrise which we were assured would be infinitely supe- 
rior to the sunset, and, to be brief, indeed it was, surpassing 
anything of the kind any of us had ever witnessed. After enjoy- 
ing the glorious scene until the sun was well up in the heavens, 
with our appetites well sharpened we repaired to the hotel for 
breakfast, and subsequently descended the mountain. There 



i 


\ 



► « 

LETTERS. 


was little to be seen going down on account of a dense fog which 
enveloped us, and, on arriving at the base, the spot which an 
hour before we had left radiant in sunshine, we beheld now all 
dark and gloomy. The changes on the Righi are very abrupt. 

Bidding adieu to Lucerne, we proceeded by steamer across the 
lake to Alpnach, and then by stage to Brienz through the famous 
Brunig Pass. At Brienz we proceeded by steamer over Lake 
Thun to Giessbach. 

The journey occupied nearly an entire day and was romanti- 
cally interesting and pleasing, fine and varied views abounding. 
The Brunig road is a wonderful specimen of engineering skill, 
hardly a loose pebble being visible. The road winds round and 
round amid the most beautiful mountain scenery. Although 
the ascent is steady, it is rendered easy by numerous curves. At 
the summit of the pass the magnificent Meiringen valley bursts 
i upon the view. This is, as it were, a level, beautiful country 
between two great ranges of mountains, and you stand upon one 
and look down upon it and across to the other. Numerous 
waterfalls are to be seen dashing and tumbling down the moun- 
tain sides. From the summit to the bottom it is so far that 
your head swims as you look over the edge of the precipice, even 
if you are possessed of strong nerves, and the houses in the val- 
ley look like mere specks. The ride through the pass was grand 
in the extreme. At Giessbach, where we passed the night, one 
of the finest hotels in all Europe is located, at a height of about 
one thousand feet from the waters of Lake Thun. The attrac- 
tions here are the splendid scenery, and the magnificent water- 
falls, which are in close proximity to the house. In the evening 
the falls were illuminated, producing a spectacle most magnifi- 
cent and picturesque. The falls descend about fourteen hundred 
feet in a series of seveji beautiful cascades, leaping and tumbling 
down amid the verdant foliage. Under the influence of the 
lights thrown upon the falls, the water seemed to be first a mass 
of molten silver, then a rich, red-Kke flame, and again the hue 
changed and it became a deep purple, and finally green. Such 
a sight cannot be adequately described ; it must be seen to be 
| appreciated. 


LETTERS. 


51 


From Giessbach we went to Interlachen, a famous resort for 
tourists in Switzerland, as a place from which interesting excur- 
sions may be made. It is beautifully and romantically situated, 
and its hotels are noticeably good. From this town a splendid 
view of the Jungfrau, one of the best known of the mountains 
of Switzerland, is obtainable. While at Interlachen our party 
visited a glacier and went into it several hundred feet. The 
temperature, as may be imagined, was decidedly frigid. 

After leaving Interlachen we made short stops at 'Berne, Frei- 
burg, and Geneva, before going to Paris; but I will only speak 
briefly of the attractions in these places. Berne is a city of 
bears. That animal is the heraldic emblem of the city, and that 
fact is evident before a person has been there a single hour. 
They may be seen on the city gates in granite, carved out of 
wood by the hundreds in shop-windows, and alive and hungry 
for sweetmeats in the city bear-pits. Berne is a good place to 
buy wood-carvings, cuckoo-clocks, and music-boxes. The town 
has a tower of very old origin, on which is a curious automatic 
clock, a peculiar feature of which is at every hour a troop of 
bears appear in front and march round a wooden platform; a 
cock also crows, and a comical figure strikes a bell with a ham- 
mer. Fortunately we were there on a market-day, when the 
streets were thronged with people, affording us a fine opportu- 
nity for studying the manners, customs, and acts of the Swiss 
peasantry. The streets were lined with booths and stalls, and 
the whole scene looked like a large country-fair. Berne boasts 
of a cathedral two hundred and thirteen feet high, in which is a 
splendid organ, which all who go to the town should be sure to 
hear. 

Freiburg is a curious town, outwardly and inwardly. Goto 
the upper part of the town, and everybody and everything is 
German ; but in the lower part, everybody and everything is 
French. It is very hilly, and the streets are exceedingly steep. 

There are three things which must be seen in Freiburg, and 
and many which may, if time permits. First, an old lime-tree, 
fourteen feet in circumference* its branches supported on stone 
pillars, — the cathedral and the suspension bridges. The lime- 


4 


I''.'.. " 11 

52 LETTERS, 


tree has quite a history, which in brief is this : When the mem- 
orable battle of Morat was being fought, the inhabitants of 
Freiburg assembled in the public square, waiting for tidings of 
the battle. One of the soldiers, knowing that his towns-people 
would be anxious to know how the battle went, started for the 
town as soon as the struggle was over, running at the top of his 
speed. On the way he met with an accident, falling down a 
steep embankment, by reason of a twig, which he grasped for 
support, coming out by the roots. He kept on, however, in 
spite of his wounds, and, still clutching the fatal twig, finally 
reached the market-place with only strength enough to shout : 
“ Victory ! Victory ! ” and fell dead in the midst of his friends. 
The twig was planted, and now the fine old lime-tree stands as 
a beautiful memento of the love and courage of that gallant 
young soldier, and the victory of Morat. This happened in 1481. 

The cathedral is a Gothic building, dating from 1285, and is 
two hundred and eighty feet in height. The visitor will be 
struck with the remarkable bas-relief over the entrance, “ The 
| Last Judgment,” — an angel weighing mankind in batches, devils 
carting off the condemned, etc., etc. The organ here is one of 
the finest in the world. There are two performances on it daily, 
and a pleasant hour may be spent here listening to its strange and 
marvelous music. Some wonderful wind and storm effects are 
introduced by the organist. The organ has seventy-seven stops, 
and seven thousand eight hundred pipes, some of which are 
thirty-five feet high. 

The suspension bridge thrown across the river Same is the 
longest in Europe, and is a wonderfully artistic piece of work- 
manship. It has a span of nine hundred and sixty-four feet, 
and its cost was about one hundred and twenty-five thousand 
dollars. It is light and elegant, and yet amazingly strong. 
Across the Gotteron ravine is another bridge seven hundred and 
forty-six feet long, and three hundred and five feet above the 
water. It is fastened into the solid rock, and looks, from its 
slight and delicate make, like a mere chain thrown from one side 
of the gorge to the other. 

From Freiburg we sped on to Geneva, crossing Lake Leman, 



LETTERS . 


53 


the largest sheet of water in Switzerland, and with which every- 
body who has read Byron is familiar. Its waters are as blue as 
indigo, and the scenery around its shores is charmingly beautiful. 
Geneva is the most thickly populated town in Switzerland ; it 
is divided by the River Rhone into two parts, and this natural 
division has almost as naturally separated the inhabitants into 
two classes. The chief manufacture of the town is watches, of 
which about one hundred thousand are turned out annually. 
In the production of these, an amazing quantity of gold, silver, 
and precious stones is made use of. 

The visitor will find a splendid assortment of jewelry in some 
of the stores of Geneva. Imitation jewelry is not allowed to be 
sold here, unless so labeled. The sights here are not many and 
are easily seen. They are a large and fine museum, a cathedral, 
the house where Rousseau was born, the house where Calvin 
lived for nineteen years and died, an arsenal in which are pre- 
served many specimens of Swiss arms, the Church of the Made- 
line, built in the tenth century, the City Hall, where the busi- 
ness of the Geneva arbitration was transacted, and the watch 
and music-box manufactories. Before closing I will say a word 
about music-boxes. I visited one of the largest manufactories 
here, and was greatly surprised to learn in what a variety of 
styles music-boxes are made. They were for sale here at prices 
from a few francs to three thousand dollars, and in all the forms 
that the minds of cunning artisans can devise. There were 
chairs which would play when you sat in them ; albums which 
went off into a waltz if you opened them ; pitchers, vases, and 
dishes which would strike up a tune when you lifted them from 
the table ; hat-racks which would produce sweet sounds as soon 
as a chapeau was placed upon them, etc., etc. The music-box 
factory was one of the most interesting places we visited in Ge- 
neva, and we were greatly amused at what we saw and heard 
there. From Geneva we obtained a fine view of Mt. Blanc, with 
its snowy summit rising high into the heavens. From Geneva 
we went direct to Paris, of which I will speak in my next letter. 


4 


54 


LETTERS. 


IX. 

sights and scenes of Paris have been so often and 
thoroughly described in every style and vein, that it 
sms as though everybody ought to be perfectly famil- 
■ with this, the gayest of gay cities, and that every- 
thing that possibly could be said in regard to it has been penned; 
but, as I have given short descriptions of the other places visited 
by our party, I will not omit this fashionable and fascinating 
metropolis from the list, and as briefly as possible will speak of 
its principal points of interest, and a few of the many impres- 
sions which Parisian life made upon me. Of course, the great 
center of attraction now is the Grand Exposition ; but, as recol- 
lections of our own Centennial are still fresh in our minds, we 
will leave that to be dealt with finally. There is so much to see 
and do that weeks could be most profitably spent here ; and, 
although during the eight days of my stay I was constantly upon 
the move and visited the lions of the city, I feel as though I had 
but made a beginning, and a small one at that, towards “ doing ” 
it. We reached Paris about six o’clock on the morning of 
August 10, after a fifteen hours’ ride in the cars from Geneva, 
and our first impressions of it as we rode in carriages to the 
hotel were received while we were in a very jaded and worn-out 
state, the result of our long and wearisome journey. However, 
notwithstanding the fact that we greatly needed rest, we all 
started out sight-seeing immediately after breakfast. Without 
any regard to the order in which we visited the famous places, I 
will briefly allude to them. 

The Arch of Triumph, a magnificent piece of architecture, 
erected by the first Napoleon at a cost of over two million dollars, 
is at the head of the Avenue des Champs Ely sees, and is visible 
from almost any point in the city, being one of the landmarks 




LETTERS. 


55 


by which strangers keep their bearings while wandering about 
Paris. The arch is one hundred and fifty feet high, and one 
hundred and thirty-seven feet wide, and is covered with groups 
of carved figures representing warlike scenes, etc. Inside the 

I arch the names of many French generals are carved, also the names 
of numerous famous battles. This splendid monument to Napo- 
leon was completed in 1836, after thirty years of labor upon it. 
From the summit of the arch a fine view of the city may be had. 
Many persons ascend the arch on their first visit to Paris as soon 
as they arrive, in order to obtain an idea of the size and shape 
of the city. Fifteen persons have thrown themselves from the 
top of the arch and were dashed to pieces on the pavement be- 
low. A surer means of death could not be sought. 

The Louvre is a name associated with which are priceless 
artistic treasures. It is generally known that here may be seen 
the rarest and most magnificent works of art of which the world 
can boast, and to attempt in a few words to give an idea of its 
extent and greatness seems almost futile. In size the Louvre 
is perfectly colossal, and it covers acres of ground. Millions of 
dollars have been spent upon the buildings. All along the front 
are statues of distinguished men of France, and numerous archi- 
tectural devices adorn various portions of the exterior, and the 
work of improvement is still going on. Inside of the Louvre 
the lover of art can revel in wonderful specimens. Days may 
be employed here with profit. The number of pictures and 
statues here staggers one on account of their vastness Why, a 
catalogue of the contents of the Louvre makes a book of nearly 
a thousand pages ! The Louvre is a great exposition in itself, 
and the position which it occupies in the estimation of the world 
is evident from the thousands of people who visit it yearly. 
Here may be seen almost endless halls filled with sculpture, stat- 
uary, and paintings, known all over the world by copies and 
engravings. One takes infinite delight in looking upon the great 
originals, collected with so much care and at such an enormous 
expense. We look upon a perfect host of masterpieces. Here 
are pictures by Titian, Rubens, Vandyke, Leonardo da Vinci, 
Murillo, Raphael, Guido, Rembrandt, Claude Lorraine, and 


◄- 


56 LETTERS. 

others of the world’s celebrated artists. You can look upon 
Murillo’s “ Conception of the Virgin,” which cost twenty-four 
thousand six hundred pounds ; Titian’s “Entombment of 
Christ,” and a host of other famous paintings. Before the great 
masterpieces there may almost always be seen artists making 
copies, which reminds me that in one of the German art galleries 
I saw a man without arms, who was copying, with wonderful 
accuracy, a famous painting, holding the brush between the toes 
of the right foot. It was astonishing to behold the fine work 
which was being executed in this strange manner, and served as 
a striking illustration of the possibilities which lie in members 
of the human body. There is in the Louvre a room devoted to 
the relics of the first Napoleon, which is always visited with 
much interest. Among other things is a lock of the emperor’s 
hair, his sword, whip, and saddle, the handkerchief used by him 
on his death-bed, clothes which he wore when he landed at Elba, 
etc. Fresh surprises are constantly greeting the visitor to the 
Louvre, and a day spent in it can hardly fail to create enthusi- 
asm in the most indifferent to the beauties of art. 

The Tomb of Bonaparte is a most magnificent affair, located 
in the Church of the Invalides. An altar, crypt, and sarcoph- 
agus constitute the tomb. The altar is very large and beau- 
tiful, being constructed of large columns of marble supporting a 
canopy of white and gold, beneath which is the figure of the 
Saviour on the cross. Through large windows of colored glass 
come rays of light, which,’ falling upon the altar, transform it 
into a blaze of glory. The effect is truly beautiful. 

In the center of the church beneath the dome is the crypt, a 
great circular opening thirty-six feet in diameter by twenty feet 
deep. A marble rail surrounds it. Below is the sarcophagus, 
wherein lies all that remains of the great French emperor. The 
sarcophagus is a huge and elegant structure of red granite or 
porphyry. Its weight is one hundred and thirty-five thousand 
pounds, and it was brought from Finland at a cost of thirty 
thousand dollars. The pavement of the crypt is of exquisite 
mosaic work in marble. Around the sarcophagus stand twelve 
colossal figures representing victories. In a chapel adjoining is 


LETTERS. 


57 


the sword of Austerlitz, and groups of flags captured by the 
French, and other mementoes. The tomb with all its details 
cost nearly two millions of dollars. In chapels about the church 
are other splendid monuments to distinguished persons, among 
which is the tomb of Napoleon’s eldest brother, Joseph, king of 
Spain. The whole interior of the Church of the Invalides is 
upon an elaborate scale. The frescoing upon the walls is strik- 
ingly rich and artistic. 

Pere la Chaise, one of the largest burial-grounds in the world, 
contains over twenty thousand tombs, thousands of graves, and 
occupies two hundred and twelve acres of ground. Some parts 
of it present a dilapidated appearance ; but, as a whole, it is 
laid out in a very pleasing manner, with walks and drives. 
Without a guide, traveling here is not advisable, as one is cer- 
tain to get lost in this city of the dead. In Pere la Chaise may 
be seen monuments and slabs of every conceivable design, cost- 
ing from a few cents up to thousands of dollars. These tombs, 
many of them, are very curious affairs, and some are really com- 
ical in appearance, looking like a half-finished hut of marble. 
Within the tombs are mementoes of every description, and in 
most of them are gay altars. I noticed in several where little 
children were buried, dolls and various kinds of toys. We visited 
the Jewish portion of the cemetery first. This is separated from 
the rest by a wall. Here we saw the monument of Rachel, the 
celebrated actress ; also one on which was inscribed the name of 
Rothschild. As one walks about the cemetery he constantly 
sees well-known names, distinguished in art, science, literature, 
and arms. Here is Beranger, the poet ; Laplace, the astrono- 
mer ; Racine, the poet ; Scribe, the dramatist ; Talma, the 
actor. Here, in a lot encircled with a plain iron fence covered 
with ivy, sleeps Marshal Ney, a hero of a hundred battles, Napo- 
leon’s bravest officer. We saw the monument in which Thiers, 
the great French statesman, was but a short time since placed. 

It was literally covered with mementoes, and hundreds of names 
were written upon the walls in pencil. It was very interesting to 
wander about here, and look upon the spots where distinguished 
men are buried, but we must not linger longer. 

— 




58 


LETTERS. 


The grand old cathedral of Notre Dame has for centuries held 
a prominent place in the history of Paris, and its general appear- 
ance is familiar to the world. In structure it is Gothic, and 
its two towers are over two hundred feet in height. It is rich in 
ornamentation and carving, and the interior is grand and impres- 
sive. It has suffered a great deal, as is evident, from the rough 
hands of revolutionists. The stained-glass windows in it, of 
enormous size, are magnificent. It is situated close to the River 
Seine, and from its towers a fine view of the city may be had. 
Near Notre Dame is the Morgue, which a number of our party 
visited. It is constructed on the same principle of morgues 
generally, and is not particularly worthy of comment. 

I The Church of the Madeleine is one of the first public build- 
ings the tourist recognizes in Paris. This structure is magnifi- 
cent and imposing, with its fifty-two Corinthian columns, its 
noble front, bronze entrance, and doors thirty feet high, reached 
by a long flight of marble steps. The interior is one spacious 
hall, the floors and walls of which are all solid marble, beauti- 
fully decorated, and lighted from the top by domes. All along 
the sides are chapels dedicated to different saints and adorned 
with elegant statues and paintings. The high altar is rich in 
beautiful sculpture, the principal group representing Mary Mag- 
dalene borne into paradise by angels. It is most exquisitely 
done. The edifice is situated in a broad, open square, near the 
central part of the city. The church cost two and one-half mil- 
lions of dollars. 

The Church of St. Genevieve, or the Pantheon, is another 
magnificent structure, three hundred and fifty feet long and two 
hundred and sixty feet wide, surrounded by Corinthian col- 
umns. The interior is beautiful in the extreme. In vaults in 
the church the remains of Mirabeau and Murat were deposited. 

The Garden of Plants is one of the very enjoyable places in 
Paris, where the visitor can gratify his taste for zoology, botany, 
and natural science. In the large and beautiful garden are 
spacious hot-houses and greenhouses, containing every variety of 
rare plants, a botanical garden, galleries of botany, zoology, and 
mineralogy. The different museums are rich in rare specimens 



LETTEBS. 


i 




59 


of their departments. The grounds are most beautifully laid 
out in handsome walks, with parterres of flowers, shade-trees, 
shrubs, etc. 

At the Palace of the Luxembourg may be seen a superb col- 
lection of modern paintings, and a visit to this place should not 
be omitted by a lover of art. 

One of the greatest attractions about Paris is Versailles, situ- 
ated a few miles outside of the city. This palace and its 
surroundings stand as a memorial of the prodigality which 
characterized the reign of Louis XIV. Over two hundred mil- 
lion dollars have been expended upon this great permanent 
French exposition and historical museum of the French nation. 
One of the parks about the palace covers forty acres. I will 
not attempt a description of Versailles, for the subject is too 
vast to grasp in a limited space. Everything about the palace 
is characterized by magnificence and splendor, and the visitor 
here revels in beauty and elegance, the like of which he can see 
nowhere else. Wonders of art in painting, sculpture, and deco- 
ration may be seen in profusion, and one is dazzled at the 
lavish display, and his eyes ache and his limbs are weary before 
he has seen one-quarter of what this extraordinary palace offers. 
The grounds about the palace are in keeping with the splendor 
within, and it seems as though one was in fairy-land as he walks 
about the beautiful parks among flowers and fountains and fine 
groves. No one should go to Paris without visiting Versailles. 

The display of goods in the various stores of Paris is some- 
thing most remarkable, and it is a great treat to walk through 
some of the main thoroughfares and gaze into the windows at 
what is exposed there for sale. Everything, almost, that the 
ingenuity of the whole world can devise may be seen. But an 
American who unattended attempts to buy anything in these 
stores will not obtain the articles at prices at all approxi- 
mating what a Frenchman would pay for them. The entrance 
of an American or an Englishman is a signal for increasing the 
regular price of every article which he desires to purchase, and, 
unless he is very careful, goods of an inferior quality will be 
palmed off upon him. Frenchmen have no consciences, and it 


60 


LETTERS . 


never enters the heads of these smirking, supple-jointed swin- 
dlers that a reputation for honesty and fair dealing is worth 
anything at all to their establishments. 

In some of the largest places of business all the goods are 
marked in plain figures so that a customer can see the price, 
from which there is no deviation. If an American desires to 
shop successfully and cheaply in Paris, he should get a French 
person to accompany him. With some branches of business the 
law is very stringent, and species of barefaced cheating, such as 

I may every day be seen in New York, are prevented. Deal- 
ers in imitation jewelry dare not sell it for gold. They are 
compelled to label the articles “ imitation.” This has caused 
dealers to exhaust a great deal of skill in the production of 
splendid imitations, and for a few francs an article may be 
bought which has every appearance of having cost hundreds. 
There are many French articles which have a large sale in 
America, which it is hard to find in Paris. But, really, it seems 
as if everything ever heard of or thought of could be bought in 
the French capital, and made in any style, prepared in any 
form, and furnished with marvelous speed. There is one char- 
acteristic of the French shopman which contrasts agreeably with 
American dealers, and that is their willingness to make or alter 
an article to the purchaser’s taste. If a lady likes the sleeves 
of one cloak and the body of another, she is informed that the 
change of sleeves shall instantly be made. Shopkeepers will put 
themselves to almost any inconvenience to cater to the tastes of 
a customer, all of which greatly pleases an American, and, as a 
result, they buy many things which they would probably not if 
less attention had been shown them. 

After bidding adieu to Paris, which, of course, we did very 
reluctantly, we returned to London, remaining there a few days, 
and then pushed on to Glasgow and Greenock, from which 
latter place we took passage on the “ Devonia ” for New York, 
arriving there, after rather a rough voyage, on Sunday, Septem- 
ber first. Having reached America, which I had never so fully 
appreciated before, I will draw this correspondence to a close. 






























>*■ 



















































































V 


























































